Gaulettia amaraliae (Prance) Sothers & Prance, 2014

Sothers, Cynthia, Prance, Ghillean T., Buerki, Sven, Kok, Rogier De & Chase, Mark W., 2014, Taxonomic novelties in Neotropical Chrysobalanaceae: towards a monophyletic Couepia, Phytotaxa 172 (2), pp. 176-200 : 182-183

Gaulettia amaraliae (Prance) Sothers & Prance , comb. nov.

Basionym : Couepia amaraliae Prance (1989: 72) , as amaralae. Type :— BRAZIL. Amazonas : base of Serra Aracá, 3 km E of Rio Jauari, 27 February 1984, Prance et al. 29261 (holotype INPA!, isotypes K!, NY!) .

Shrub 1–4 m tall. Leaves with an oblong to oblong-elliptic, coriaceous lamina, 2.5–6.0 × 1.5–3.2 cm, prominently reticulate beneath with conspicuous deep stomatal cavities filled with short grey pubescence. Inflorescences are little branched panicles or racemes. Receptacle campanulate-turbinate, 3–4 mm long. Stamens 35–40, inserted around ½ of circle. Fruit globose, 5 cm in diameter with a glabrous, lenticellate epicarp; pericarp 2.0– 2.5 mm thick, hard and woody, tomentose within.

Illustration:— Prance (1989: 73).

Distribution and habitat: — Brazil (Amazonas). Sandy soil forests (campina and campinarana). Fig. 2 .

Conservation status: —This species is here assessed as endangered, EN B1ab(i) + 2ab(i) ( IUCN 2001). Gaulettia amaraliae is restricted to one locality in northern Brazil, in the foothills and surroundings of Serra do Aracá, a sandstone mountain of the Guayana Highlands.

Selected specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Amazonas: 3 km S of central part of Serra do Aracá, 13 March 1984, Silva et al. 7121 (INPA!, NY!); Rio Aracá near mouth of Rio Jauari, 2 July 1985, Cordeiro 126 (INPA!, K!, NY!, SP!); Rio Aracá, 4 November 1952, Fróes & Addison 29277 (IAN!, NY!); Rio Jauari near Ipsilon junction, 9 July 1985, Prance et al. 29420 (INPA!, NY!); Serra Aracá, 1–1.5 hours (8 km) along seringueiro trail, 220° S towards Rio Jauari from base camp, 4 March 1984, Pipoly & Cress 6788 (INPA!, NY!); near Serra Aracá, 01 March 1977, Rosa & Cordeiro 1713 (IAN!, NY!).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Distribution of G. amaraliae.