Eugenia flavescens De Candolle (1828: 272)

Amorim, Gabriela Dos Santos, Barbosa, Maria Regina De Vasconcellos, Jr, Eduardo Bezerra De Almeida & Thomas, William Wayt, 2022, Taxonomic study of Myrtaceae in forest fragments in Amazonian Maranhão, Brazil, Phytotaxa 568 (1), pp. 27-60 : 37

8. Eugenia flavescens De Candolle (1828: 272) .

Type:— BRAZIL. in Brasiliae deserto Bahiensi, C. F. P. Martius s.n. (holotype: M [0137665]; isotype: M [0137666] M [0137667]) . ( Fig 2H )

Shrubs 0.35– 15 m. Twigs glabrous or sparsely pubescent, the indumentum whitish. Leaves with petioles 2–7 mm long, glabrous, channeled; blades elliptic to broadly so, or oblong, 4.3–7 × 1.3–3.4 cm, glabrous, chartaceous or coriaceous, concolorous; glands conspicuous; base cuneate or rounded; apex acute, acuminate or long acuminate; midvein adaxially flat to prominent; lateral veins visible and slightly elevated, not arched, 6 to 12 pairs; intra-marginal vein 1–2 mm from the margin, margin flat. Inflorescence cauliflorous, a fascicle, the axis absent or 1–1.5 mm long, glabrous; bracts orbicular, 0.7 × 1.5 mm, glabrous, persistent in the fruit; pedicels 2–5 mm long, glabrous; bracteoles orbicular, 0.5 × 0.7 mm, glabrous, persistent in the fruit; flower buds globose, 3 × 4 mm, not constricted above ovary; calyx-lobes free, four, deltate or orbicular, 0.5–2 × 1–1.5 mm, glabrous, not reflexed, persistent in the fruit; ovary 2- locular. Immature fruit globose, 0.4–0.6 × 0.2–0.9 cm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, surface marked with glands.

Note:— Eugenia flavescens may be recognized by its leaves, yellowish in the dry material, with an adaxially flat to prominent midvein and slightly elevated lateral veins; its inflorescence, which is a cauliflorous fascicle with an axis that is absent or up to 1–1.5 mm long, turning yellow in dry material; its small flowers (3 × 4 mm); and its globose fruits, which are glabrous or sparsely pubescent with marked glands.

Distribution and habitat:— Known from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela and widely distributed in Brazil (POWO 2020, Flora do Brasil 2020). In Amazonian Maranhão, E. flavescens was found growing in “terra firme” forest, on rocky soil, and in old clearings.

Phenology:— Flowering from January to April and June and fruiting in July.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Maranhão: Estrada BR 222, entre Santa Inês e Açailândia , 4°45’ S, 47°10’ W, 17 December 1978 (fr.), J. Jangoux 543 ( NY!) . Barão de Grajaú , 6°36’29” S, 43°24’17” W, 25 January 2012 (fr.), R.M. Harley 56478 (HUEFS, image) . São Luís, 8º Batalhão da Policia Militar , 2°29’49” S, 44°16’43” W, 15 June 2018 (fr.), G.S. Amorim 510 ( MAR!) ; Estrada do Olho d’Agua , February–March 1939 (st.), R.L. Fróes 11624 ( NY!) ; Estrada de S. Luís para o Rio Anil , 2°31’47” S, 44°18’10” W, 07 January 1950 (fl.), R.L. Fróes 25635 ( IAN!) ; Granja Barreto , 2°31’47” S, 44°18’10” W, 04 January 1950 (fl.), R.L. Fróes 25621 ( IAN!) . São Bento, contagem em campo de São Bento, 02 July 1979 (fr.), N.A. Rosa & O.C. Nascimento 2581. Turiaçu , Ilha Trauira , 1°39’48” S, 45º22’18” W, 05 April 1987 (fl.), M.R. Santos 700 ( IAN!) .

Additional specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Maranhão: Barão de Grajaú: ca. 50 Km da cidade na BR 230, 6°36’29” S, 43°24’17” W, 21 January 2012 (fr.), R.M. Harley 56478 ( NY!). Carolina, Fazenda Palestina, 7°22’56” S, 47°28’40” W, 01 March 2015 (fr.), G. Pereira-Silva 9746 (CEN, image). Estreito, margem direita do rio Tocantins /foz do rio Feio , 6°44’15” S, 47°29’26” W, 14 January 2008 (fr.), G. Pereira-Silva 12608 (CEN, image) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. A–B. Flower buds and flowers in Calycolpus goetheanus. C–D. Flowers in Eugenia biflora. E–F. Flower buds and immature fruits in E. caducibracteata. G. Immature fruit in E. densiracemosa. H. Immature fruits in E. flavescens. I. Immature fruits in E. patens. J. Immature fruits in E. polystachya. K. Flowers in E. protenta. L–M. Flower buds and flowers in E. punicifolia. N–P. Flower buds, flowers and immature fruits in E. stictopetala.