Guatteria scalarinervia D.R.Simpson

19. Guatteria scalarinervia D.R.Simpson View in CoL

Guatteria scalarinervia D.R. Simpson (1975) View in CoL 306; Erkens et al. (2008) 507, f. 17, pl. 3. — Type: Reyna R. 40 (holo F; iso F, K, MAD, NY, P, WIS), Peru, Loreto, Prov. Maynas, Distr. Santa María, Río Nanay , 150 m, 15 Dec. 1967.

Guatteria sp. 3 Chatrou et al. (1997) 109.

Cauliflorous tree 6 –25 m tall, 5 –25 cm diam; young twigs rather densely covered with appressed hairs, soon glabrous. Leaves: petiole 15–20 mm long, 2 – 3 mm diam; lamina narrowly elliptic, 13–18 by 3.5 –5 cm (leaf index 2.7– 4), chartaceous, not verruculose or sometimes sparsely verruculose at least on parts of the leaves, dull above, dark greenish brown above, pale brown below, glabrous above, rather densely covered with appressed hairs below, base acute to abruptly attenuate, apex acuminate (acumen 5 – 20 mm long), primary vein impressed above, secondary veins distinct, 10 –15 on either side of primary vein, impressed above, smallest distance between loops and margin 2– 4 mm. Flowers in up to many-flowered clusters on the trunk; pedicels 20– 35 mm long, 1–1.5 mm diam, fruiting pedicels up to 40 mm long, to 2{– 3} mm diam, densely to sparsely covered with appressed hairs, articulated at 0.2 – 0.5 from the base, bracts 5– 6, soon falling, the basal bracts broadly ovate, c. 1 mm long, the upper ones narrowly obtrullate to narrowly obovate-elliptic, 10–12 by 4 – 5 mm; flower buds broadly ovoid; sepals free, broadly ovate, 4 –7 by 4 –7 mm, appressed, outer side rather densely to densely covered with appressed hairs; petals green, maturing yellow to cream in vivo, ovate, elliptic, to oblong-obovate, 12–14 by 7–10 mm, outer side densely covered with appressed hairs; stamens c. 1.5 mm long, connective shield glabrous. Monocarps 25– 50, green, maturing bluish black to black in vivo, brownish in sicco, ellipsoid, 15– 21 by 7–11 mm, rather densely to sparsely covered with appressed hairs, apex apiculate (apiculum up to 1 mm long), wall 0.1–1 mm thick, stipes 10– 25 by 1 mm. Seed ellipsoid, 15 –18 by 7–9 mm, dark brown, rugose.

Distribution — Ecuador ( Orellana, Sucumbíos) and Peru ( Loreto).

Habitat & Ecology — In non-inundated forest (one collection from periodically inundated tahuampa forest), on red, clayey to lateritic soil. At elevations of 200– 350 m. Flowering: April to June, October; fruiting: January, May, August to November.

Vernacular names — Ecuador: Dimonkawe (Huaorani), Nagewe (Huaorani) ( Naranjo & Freire 474), Pungaracaspi, Pungaramuyo ( Palacios & Neill 1120), Uñitawe (Huaorani) ( Freire & Naranjo 481).

Note — Guatteria scalarinervia is easily recognized by being cauliflorous and having relatively long petioles and stipes. Unlike other species in sect. Mecocarpus , verruculae are not always evident on leaves in some collections or are clearly visible only in part of the leaves in a specimen. This deserves further attention.