Laetia suaveolens (Poepp.) Benth.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Salicaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Laetia suaveolens (Poepp.) Benth.

  • Type

    Type. Poeppig 2912, Brazil, Amazonas, Ega(=Tefé), fl (holotype, W; isotypes, B, lost, phot F 13636, F, P).

  • Synonyms

    Samyda suaveolens Poepp., Casinga suaveolens Griseb. ex Benth., Samyda petiolaris Spruce ex Eichler, Laetia calophylla Eichler, Guidonia suaveolens Kuntze, Guidonia calophylla Kuntze, Casearia negrensis Eichler

  • Description

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    Species Description - Shrub or tree up to 15, occasionally to 40 m tall; bark gray or brown, rough, resinous. Branchlets subangular, striate, blackish-purplish, often resinous, glabrous, older parts densely set with elliptic lenticels and cracked both horizontally and vertically. Leaves elliptic to elliptic-oblong or oblong, sometimes obovate-oblong, apex shortly and rather abruptly acuminate, tip subacute or obtuse, base slightly unequal, attenuate to almost rounded, subcoriaceous though sometimes stiffly so, glabrous, shining mainly above, pellucid-punctate and -lineate against strong light (sometimes seemingly im-punctate), not rarely with foveolate points or stripes parallel to the midrib beneath, minutely glandular-serrulate, (6.0-)7.0-15.0 cm long, (2.0-)3.5-6.0 cm broad, lateral nerves (7-)8-10 pairs curved-ascending, rather strongly prominent on both faces, veins dense, characteristically (and more densely than in L. procera) transverse-subparallel, raised on both faces, veinlets densely reticulate, much less obvious than the veins; petiole (5.0-)10.0-15.0 mm long; stipules lanceolate, 1.0 mm long, fugacious. Flowers (4-)6-12(-20) per strictly axillary fascicle, fragrant; pedicels slender, glabrous, 5.0-8.0 mm long; bracts ovate, ciliate, denticulate, hardly 1.0 mm long, forming a compact axillary glomerule generally smaller than in L. procera. Sepals 5, oblong, subacute, white to cream, thin glabrous, pellucid-punctate, ca 3.0 mm long, 2.0 mm broad, reflexed. Stamens 10-12; filaments glabrous, 2.0-3.0 mm long. Ovary pyriform, glabrous, attenuate to the thickish style (2.0 mm); stigma capitulate. Fruit subglobular or ellipsoid, slightly 3-gonous, apiculate, at first green to yellow or pinkish, finally reddish, becoming blackish when dry, 1.5-2.0 cm long; pericarp wrinkled horizontally; seeds 3-6, rarely more, in a reddish pulp, ovoid-oblongoid, with a thin white aril, ca 3.0 mm long; testa smooth.

    Distribution and Ecology - Scattered all over Amazonian Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil and Peru; in lowland forest or forest border with savannah, often riverine, up to 200 m alt.

  • Distribution

    Colombia South America| Vaupés Colombia South America| Guainía Colombia South America| Amazonas Colombia South America| Vaupés Colombia South America| Guárico Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Roraima Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Rondônia Brazil South America|