Caraipa davilae F.N. Cabral, 2016

Cabral, Fernanda Nunes, Bittrich, Volker & Amaral, Maria Do Carmo Estanislau Do, 2016, Four new species of Caraipa (Calophyllaceae) from the Amazon basin and the Guiana Shield, Phytotaxa 286 (4), pp. 245-255 : 251-252

3. Caraipa davilae F.N. Cabral , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , and 5)

Type: — PERU. Loreto: Maynas, rio Zumun, affluent du rio Yahuas-Yacu, affluent du rio Ampi-Yacu affluent de l’Amazone à Pebas —commune de Colonia, territoire des indiens Bora, 16 June 1978, Barrier 1120 (holotype MO!, isotype P!).

Diagnosis: ― Caraipa davilae is morphologically similar to C. grandifolia , and it can be distinguished by its dense indument on the abaxial leaf surface, with sessile and stipitate stellate trichomes (vs. sparse sessile stellate trichomes in C. grandifolia ), and its rugulose and concave towards the base fruit valves (vs. smooth and not concave in C. grandifolia ).

Description: ― Trees up to 15 m tall. Young branches tomentose with stipitate stellate trichomes. Leaves distichous; lamina chartaceous, elliptic or ovate, 8.6–16.3 × 3.8–7.0 cm, apex acuminate, acumen of 0.5 cm long, base obtuse to rounded, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface with bulliform cells and with sparse sessile and stipitate stellate trichomes or with only sessile stellate trichomes, dark dots not visible, margin flat, midrib sulcate or flat and pubescent adaxially, prominent and covered with stipitate and irregularly branched stellate trichomes abaxially; secondary veins 19 ‒ 24 pairs, 6 ‒ 12 mm distant each other, covered with stipitate and irregularly branched stellate trichomes abaxially; tertiary veins inconspicuous adaxially, conspicuous abaxially, parallel to reticulate; petioles 0.7–0.8 mm long, glabrous or with sparse trichomes, sometimes scaly. Inflorescences in terminal panicles, 8–11 cm long, 18–22-flowers; pedicel 4–20 mm long; axis and pedicel covered with stipitate stellate and long simple trichomes; bracts and bracteoles caducous, bracteoles inserted almost at the base. Mature flower buds ovoid, 5–7 mm long. Sepals tomentose outside, pubescent inside, lobes 2.0–3.0 × 2.5–4.0 mm, apex acute or slightly rounded. Petals 9–10 × 6–8 mm, tomentose outside, glabrous inside, puberulous on margins. Stamens more than 100, 4–5 mm long; anthers about 0.7 mm long, gland over the top of the thecae. Ovary 2–2.5 mm across, tomentose. Fruit pyramid-shaped to ovoid, trigonous, asymmetrical, 2.3–2.4 × 1.8–2.0 cm, beaklet about 5 mm long, surface rugulose, densely covered with sessile and stipitate stellate trichomes, valves concave towards the base, exocarp not separating from endocarp. Seeds not seen.

Etymology:— The epithet davilae is dedicated to Nállarett Marina Dávila Cardozo , a great Peruvian botanist and friend from Iquitos, Loreto, who has dedicated much of her time to the botanical exploration in the forests of Peru and Brazil, also she has kindly helped collecting many species of Caraipa .

Phenology:— Flowering unknown. Fruits collected in June.

Distribution and habitat:— This species is known only from the Dep. Loreto (Prov. Maynas, north-eastern Peru), occurring in flooded (igapó and várzea forests) and on terra-firme forests.

Taxonomic notes:— Caraipa davilae is morphologically similar to C. grandifolia . They can be separated by its dense indument on the abaxial leaf surface (vs. sparse in C. grandifolia ), its sessile and stipitate stellate trichomes (vs. sessile stellate trichomes in C. grandifolia ), and rugulose and concave towards the base fruit valves (vs. smooth and not concave in C. grandifolia ).

Moreover, the only known species of Caraipa with stipitate stellate trichomes on the abaxial surface are C. costata and C. spuria . However, the latter two taxa have longer leaves (9–24 cm in C. costata and 14–39 cm in C. spuria ), while in C. davilae leaves are up to 16 cm long. In addition, the fruits of C. costata and C. spuria are smooth in the surface, while C. davilae shows rugulose and striate fruits.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— PERU. Loreto: Maynas, Mishana, Río Nanay , 3º50’S, 73º30’W, 14 June 1978, Ramírez 07 ( MO!, HBG!) ; Maynas, Mishana, halfway between Iquitos and Santa Maria de Nanay , Río Nanay , 3º50’S, 73º30’W, 22 July 1980, Gentry et al. 28947 ( MO!) ; Maynas, Puerto Almendras, Río Nanay , 3º48’S, 73º21’W, 24 March 1990, Grandéz & Sarmiento 1489 ( MO!), Maynas , Puerto Almedras , Río Nanay , 3º48’S, 73º21’W, 1 February 1985, Vásquez et al. 6211 ( MBM!, MO!, NY!) ; Maynas, Iquitos, Carretera de Santa Clara , 27 December 1983, Rimachi 7236 ( MO!) ; Mishuyacu, near Iquitos , December 1929, Klug 624 ( MO!) ; Rio Javari, below mouth of Rio Curaga , 27 October 1976, Prance et al. 24148 ( HBG!, INPA!, K!, MO!, NY!, R!, U!, VEN!) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution map of Caraipa balbinensis, C. caespitosa, C. davilae, and C. macrocarpa.