Vismia laxiflora Reichardt (1878: 203)

Cabral, Fernanda Nunes, Bittrich, Volker & Hopkins, Michael John Gilbert, 2017, Clusiaceae s. l. (Calophyllaceae, Clusiaceae s. s. and Hypericaceae) in the Viruá National Park, Roraima, Brazil, Phytotaxa 329 (1), pp. 1-27 : 21-22

8.3 Vismia laxiflora Reichardt (1878: 203) ( Fig. 7C–E )

Type:— VENEZUELA. 1841, fl., Schomburgk 835 [an error for 837] (syntypes: BM barcode 000624911, F, barcode 0054568 F, G, barcode 00355559).

= Vismia angustifolia Rusby (1920: 59) .

= Vismia falcata Rusby (1920: 59) .

Trees or small trees up to 6 m. Exudate abundant, orange. Lamina subcoriaceous, elliptic to oval, 5.7–15.8 × 2.5–6.6 cm, apex acute to slightly acuminate, base obtuse or rounded, with dark glands conspicuous abaxially; abaxial surface rusty tomentose, with stellate trichomes, adaxial surface glabrous or pubescent, with trichomes visible on the midvein; secondary veins prominent, conspicuous on both surfaces, 8–15 pairs, distant 6.2–14 mm; petiole 5.4–14.5 mm long. Inflorescence with 12–30 flowers. Sepals 6.3–8.4 × 1.8–4.5 mm, rusty tomentose. Petals 7.8–9.7 × 4.4–5.6 mm, cream yellowish, with linear orange-brown glands. Fascicles of stamens ca. 6 mm long, stamens ca. 50 in each fascicle. Fruit ellipsoid to cylindrical, 0.8–0.9 × 0.8–0.9 cm; sepals reflex in fruit, petals and style persistent.

Phenology:—Flowering September to December; fruiting September and January.

Distribution and habitat:— Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela. In Brazil, it occurs in the north region (states of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Pará and Roraima), and in the northeast region (state of Maranhão). In VNP, it occurs in white-sand vegetation and flooded areas.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Roraima: Caracaraí, Viruá National Park , elevation 56 m, 1º16’20’’N, 60º58’10’’W, 25 November 2009, fl., Cabral et al. 12 ( INPA) ; Ibid. , elevation 59 m, 1º25’33’’N, 60º59’15’’W, 3 December 2009, fl., fr., Cabral et al. 96 ( INPA) ; Ibid. , elevation 62 m, 1º45’90’’N, 60º97’29’’W, 29 January 2010, fr., Cabral et al. 202 ( INPA) ; Ibid. , 15 September 2010, fl., fr., Cabral et al. 278 ( INPA) .

Taxonomic notes:— Vismia laxiflora is characterized by having persistent petals in fruit. Furthermore, the sepals are fleshy and not rigid coriaceous as in V. japurensis .

Figures

FIGURE 7. Vismia japurensis (A. Habit; B. Flower), Vismia laxiflora (C. Habit; D. Flower; E. Fruit) and Vismia macrophylla (F. Habit; G. Flower; photos from specimens collected in Serra Tepequem, Roraima, Brazil, Amaral & Bittrich 2015/01).