Guatteria japurensis Maas & Westra

12. Guatteria japurensis Maas & Westra View in CoL

Guatteria japurensis Maas & Westra in Erkens et al. (2008) 497,f. 12.— Type: Amaral et al. 518 (holo U; iso NY,RB), Brazil, Amazonas , right bank of Rio Japurá , Vila Bittencourt, Serrinha, 100 m, 16 Nov. 1982.

Small tree c. 6.5 m tall, diam not recorded; twigs (no growth tip seen) glabrous. Leaves: petiole c. 10 mm long, 3 – 4 mm diam; lamina narrowly elliptic-ovate, 16 –27 by 5 – 8.5 cm (leaf index 3 –4), chartaceous to thinly coriaceous, rugulose above, not or sparsely verruculose along primary vein only, slightly shiny and brownish green above, dull brownish green below, glabrous on both sides, base shortly attenuate, apex acuminate (acumen c. 10 mm long), primary vein flat above, secondary veins indistinct, 15–18 on either side of primary vein, raised above, smallest distance between loops and margin 1– 2 mm. Flowers in 1–several-flowered inflorescences in axils of leaves or on older branchlets, only seen in fruiting stage: fruiting pedicels 50– 60 mm long, 1–1.5 mm diam, sparsely covered with appressed hairs to glabrous, articulated at c. 0.1 from the base; flower buds, sepals, petals and stamens not seen. Monocarps 10–15, immature, blackish brown in sicco, ellipsoid to narrowly ellipsoid, 17–20 by 7–8 mm, glabrous, apex apiculate (apiculum 0.2– 0.4 mm long), wall c. 0.2 mm thick, stipes 11–17 by 1–1.5 mm. Seed narrowly ellipsoid, c. 18 by 7 mm, brown, shiny, slightly rugose.

Distribution — Western Amazonian Brazil (Amazonas).

Habitat & Ecology — In non-inundated forest, on stony soil covered with lichens and mosses. At an elevation of c. 100 m. Flowering: unknown; fruiting: November.

Vernacular names — None.

Note — Guatteria japurensis is most distinctive by the long and slender fruiting pedicels, which are very uncommon in Guatteria . Another noteworthy feature are the leaves with indistinct venation and which are rugulose on the upper surface.