Samyda glabrata Sw.

Authority

Sleumer, Hermann O. 1980. Flacourtiaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 22: 1-499. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family

Meliaceae

Scientific Name

Samyda glabrata Sw.

Type

Type. Swartz sn, Jamaica, mountains of the southern part, fl (holotype, S, phot at A & NY; isotypes, BM, G-DC, SBT).

Synonyms

Samyda acuminata Urb., Samyda villosa Sw.

Description

Species Description - Shrub or slender tree up to 6.0, occasionally up to 10.0 m tall; trunk up to 15.0 cm diam. Branchlets appressed-hairy in the young, glabrescent and grayish-whitish-corticate in the older parts. Leaves elliptic, ovate- or oblong-, or obovate-elliptic, sometimes oblong-lanceolate, variable in shape and size, apex rather abruptly acuminate, subacute, or rarely obtuse to rounded and emarginate, often mucronulate, base cuneate to rounded, rarely subcordate, often somewhat oblique, thick-chartaceous to coriaceous, lustrous mainly above, densely pellucid-punctate and -lineate, sparsely appressed-pilosulous on both faces when young, early glabrescent though usually remaining hairy on midrib and nerves beneath, obsoletely serrulate to crenulate-undulate or subentire, (8.0-)10.0-18.0 cm long, 2.5-6.0 cm broad, lateral nerves (5-)8-12 pairs arcuate-ascending, slightly raised above, more distinctly beneath, veins and veinlets forming a network which is finely raised on both faces; petiole pubescent, 3.0-8.0 mm long; stipules linear-lanceolate, up to 1.0 mm long, persistent. Flowers 3-5(-7) per axil, on peduncle up to 5.0 mm long; bracts 2.0-4.0 mm long, connate, navicular, flaring laterally to acute lanceolate-subulate apices, densely appressedly short-pubescent, as are the pedicels (1.0-3.0 mm). Calyx 5-merous, 8.0-17.0 mm long, campanulate, greenish and densely appressed-hairy outside, white within the limb, tube 2/5-3/5 of the calyx length, lobes oblong, obtuse, pilosulous inside. Androecium fused, 2.0-4.0 mm high; filament-tips free up to 1.0 mm, tube more or less villous outside. Stamens 10(-12); anthers oblong-ovate, ca 1.0 mm long; staminodia obsolete. Ovary ovoid-ellipsoid, rather densely long-villous, attenuate to the glabrous style; stigma depressed-globose, often obscurely trigonous. Fruit on stout pedicel 5.0 mm long, ovoid-ellipsoid to subglobose, apiculate, slightly 3-cornered, 3.5-5.0 cm long, 3.0-4.0 cm broad, green, sparsely long-appressed-hairy, valves 3 or 4, leathery, crimson inside; seeds numerous, ovoid-oblong-oid, 3.0 mm long; aril red to orange.

Distribution and Ecology - Jamaica, endemic and apparently rare; in mossy forest, woodlands, thickets and pastures, often on limestone, up to 1500 m alt.

Distribution

Jamaica South America|