Aniba magnifica W. Palacios, 2018

Palacios, Walter A., 2018, Two New Species of Lauraceae from Ecuador, Phytotaxa 346 (2), pp. 180-188 : 181-184

Aniba magnifica W. Palacios , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , 2 , 3 )

Aniba magnifica can be recognized by its leaves, 30–60 cm long × 8–16 cm wide, coriaceous and glabrous on the upper surface, densely strigulose on the lower surface; bracts 2–5 cm long, below the buds or at the base of the inflorescences; inflorescences 15–23 cm long, brown-puberulent; flowers 2.9–3.5 mm long, including the receptacle; fruit narrowly ellipsoidal, 3–3.7 cm long.

Holotype:— ECUADOR. Pichincha: Pedro Vicente Maldonado, Celica , near the town, humid forest, 0°10’N, 79°04’W, 450 m, 31 Jul 2010, Palacios 17339 ( QCNE, mounted as two preparations: 0241221! flowering branch, 0241222! leaf and infructescence; isotype MO!).

Tree, up to 25 m tall (35 m according to Vargas 510, QCNE); with exfoliating bark (according to Vargas 5625, QCNE). Indumentum strigulose (appressed), very dense on young twigs, buds and bracts. Terminal branches cylindrical or angular, lenticels elongated, up to 4 mm long; the bracts at the base of the new growth, below terminal buds or along young branches, 2–5 cm long, oblong–lanceolate, conduplicate. Leaves clustered, spathulate, obovate or obovateoblong, 30–60 long × 8–16 cm wide, coriaceous, greenish–yellow when fresh; apex short apiculate or rounded; base obtuse–conduplicate; venation eucamptodromous to brochidodromous in the last third of the lamina; secondary veins 12–17 pairs, prominent below, sulcate above; tertiary veins irregularly scalariform; upper surface glabrous; lower surface densely strigulose; petiole 0.5–1.3 cm long, channeled. Inflorescence a panicle, 4–6 inflorescences at the base of the new growth or in the axils of bracts below the terminal bud, 15–23 cm long, brown-puberulent. Flowers obovoid, 2.9–3.5 mm long, including the obconic tube that represents ½ of the length of the flower; tepals 6, ovate, concave, ciliate, strigulose, the outer three 1.9–2.1 mm long, the inner three 1.7–2 mm long; stamens 9, 1.4–1.6 mm long, filaments thinner than anthers, densely tomentose, anthers glabrous, flaps opening towards the connective, first and second whorls with introrse–ventral locules, third whorl with lateral locules and two basal glands per stamen; pistil glabrous. Fruit narrowly ellipsoidal, smooth, 3–3.7 cm long, black to black-violet when ripening, inserted at ½–⅓ of its length in the cupule; cupule densely lenticellate, with warty appearance, 1.4–1.9 cm long × 1.5–2.2 cm in diameter.

Distribution:—This species has been recorded at the Ecuadorian coast, between 0 and 1200 m, in humid or very humid forests, both in primary forests and in disturbed areas, from the northern border with Colombia to Molleturo in the province of Azuay where the humid forests of Ecuador end.

Phenology:—The flowering period has been recorded principally between January and April, although there are also records for September. The fruits have been collected mostly between April and June, but also in September. It should also be noted that flowers and fruits can appear at the same time (e.g. Berg 87 and Palacios 17339, both in QCNE). Mature fruits become atropurpureous (Aulestia 205 QCNE).

Etymology: —The name of the new species refers to its large vegetative parts that differentiate it from other known species.

State of conservation:—The species was found in an area of approximately 15,000 km ², including the lower and middle part of the Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve, the Mache Chindul Reserve and several protected forests, so it can be considered not endangered.

Common names and local uses:— Suchi (according to Berg 9, QCNE) or suche (Vargas 5625, QCNE). It is reported that the wood is used to manufacture tables and furniture (Vargas 5625, QCNE). In Mompiche, Esmeraldas, it is known as nasde, and is considered a fine wood.

Taxonomic relationship:— Aniba magnifica is characterized by the large size of its leaves, inflorescences and flowers, and the dense strigulose indumentum on the lower leaf surface, buds, bracts and inflorescences. The most similar species is A. hostmanniana (Nees) Mez (1889: 67) , in which the leaves are similar in size, but differ in indumentum (minutely tomentellous on veins only) and size of flowers (2.9–3.5 in A. magnifica vs. 1.5–1.8 mm in A. hostmanniana ). Aniba magnifica flowers are among the largest in the genus, only comparable with A. robusta (Klotzsch & Karsten in Klotzsch 1848: 497) Mez (1889: 75).

Additional specimens examined: — ECUADOR. Esmeraldas: San Lorenzo, Reserva Étnica Awa, Centro Guadualito, 1°15’N, 78°40’W, Jul 1992, fr., Aulestia 205 ( MO!, QCNE!), Quinindé, Bilsa Station Biological Station , 0°21’N, 79°44’W, 400–600 m, Feb 1996, fl., Clark 2102 ( MO!, QCNE!) ; Muisne, road Puerto Nuevo-San Salvador , 0°3’N, 79°56’W, 60 m, Mar 1995, fl., Palacios 13729, ( MO, QCNE!) ; Feb 1996, fr. Clark 1716, ( MO!, QCNE!). Santo Domingo de los Colorados (according voucher Pichincha): Vía Santo Domingo-Esmeraldas , Hostería Valle Hermoso , 0°12’S, 79°10’W, 400–500 m, May 1995, fr., Núñez et al. 70 ( QCNE!) ; Bosque Protector La Perla, km 41 of the road Santo-Domingo Quinindé , 0°49’S, 79°22’W, Jun 1990, fr., Zak 5435 ( QCNE!) . Los Ríos: Quevedo- Pucayacu, hacienda Amazonas, km 42, 330 m, Mar 1982, fr., Dodson 13012, ( QCNE!, S) . Azuay: La Troncal , 0°34’S, 79°02’W, 350 m, Mar 1996, fl., Neill 10528 ( QCNE!) ; 1 km from town, Vargas et al. 510, Nov 1996, Mar 2005, fr., Vargas & Defas 5625 ( QCNE!). Cuenca, Molleturo, Manta Real , 2°34’S, 79°23’W, 300–1200 m, Mar 1992, fl., Berg 3 ( QCNE!), Apr 1992, fl., Berg 9 ( QCNE!), Sep 1992, fl., fr., Berg 87 ( QCNE!) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Aniba magnifica. A. habit, B. bracts, C. inflorescence, D. fruits (scale bar = 1.5 cm). Images from type collection (Palacios 17339).

FIGURE 2. Aniba magnifica. Holotype (flowering part) QCNE 241221!, Palacios 17339.

FIGURE 3. Aniba magnifica. Holotype (leaf and infructescence) QCNE 241222!, Palacios 17339.