Roupala

Authority

Prance, Ghillean T., et al. 2007. Proteaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 100: 1-218. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family

Proteaceae

Scientific Name

Roupala

Type

Type. Roupala montana Aubl. The name Roupala is derived from the vernacular name roupale used in French Guiana.

Synonyms

Rhopala Schreb., Ropala J.F.Gmel., Rupala Vahl, Leinkeria Scop., Roupala, Leinckeria Neck., Roupala montana Aubl.

Description

Genus Description - Shrubs, or trees, to 25 m. Young branches densely hairy, rarely glabrous, the indumentum lost with age, lenticellate (occasionally lenticels absent). Indumentum of simple, nonglandular hairs. Lenticels minute to 0.5 mm long, less commonly enlarging to 2.5 mm in length, often producing fissures, pale orange-brown to brown or gray, circular to fusiform, granular to nongranular, plane to raised. Petioles poorly defined, with base of lamina descending petiole on either side, to well defined, flattened to terete, rarely canaliculate or grooved, smooth to rugose. Leaves spirally arranged, chartaceous to rigidly coriaceous, long- to short-petiolate, heterophyllous, compound or pinnatisect when juvenile and sometimes in the fertile/adult state, the adult leaves generally simple, glabrous to densely tomentose when young, indumentum quickly glabrescent above, glabrescent or persistent beneath, the hairs erect or appressed, whitish or yellowish to ferruginous or rufous. Compound leaves imparipinnate, with 2-15 pairs of leaflets; leaflets sessile to short-petiolate, asymmetrical, opposite or alternate; margin serrate, rarely entire. Simple leaves short- to long-petiolate, the shape variable, the margin entire to strongly serrate, revolute or not, occasionally margin ridged or raised beneath; venation conspicuous to obscure, plane to slightly raised above, generally more prominent beneath, in some species the secondary venation completely obscure beneath, eucamptodromous to semi-craspedodromous, occasionally brochidodromous; tertiary venation reticulate; midvein usually reaching the leaflet apex. Inflorescence unbranched, pseudo-racemose, axillary or terminal, generally solitary, glabrous to densely tomentose or velutinous. Flowers pedicellate, the pedicels long to almost absent, the indumentum usually as for inflorescence; flower-pair axis (peduncle) absent, rarely present. Common bracts subtending flower-pairs caducous, protecting young buds in the form of a small cone in young inflorescences, sterile bracts absent to numerous at base of inflorescence peduncle. Buds elongate or elongate-pyriform, opening apically by elongation of the style. Flowers actinomorphic, all tepals recurving at right angles at anthesis, glabrous to densely tomentose on the outside, glabrous within; anthers linear to oblong; filaments adnate to perianth to different degrees, generally almost entirely fused, the free part ribbon-like; hypogynous nectaries four, fleshy or scale-like, well separated, sometimes fused at the base or rarely appearing as a continuous ring; ovary subsessile, glabrous to densely pubescent, sometimes flattened longitudinally and weakly keeled; style erect, claviform; stigma an apical slit; ovules two, orthotropous, pendulous. Fruit a 1- to 2-seeded follicle, longitudinally flattened, commonly constricted at the base and the apex, the apex sharp and straight, or strongly curved toward unsutured side, the style occasionally persistent. Seeds compressed, winged, the seed central to the wing.

Discussion

The fruits of this genus can be very conspicuous and can be used as spot characters to identify species that otherwise might be difficult. Figure 30 shows the variation in fruit size and shape in this genus.

Distribition and Ecology: This is a widespread genus exclusively of the New World, found from Mexico, throughout Central America, to Bolivia and Argentina. All Old World names once placed in Roupala refer to species in other genera, Helicia and Macadamia. The distribution of Roupala includes the entire Andes south to Bolivia, and just into Argentina, the Guyanan Shield, and Amazon Basin to southeastern Brazil. Its habitats range from sea level to 4000 m alt., although they are usually somewhere in the middle of this range. The lower altitude habitats where Roupala may be found include terra firme, pluvial (rain) forest, caatinga, savanna, gallery forest, restinga, capão, campo rupestre, igapó, várzea, and riparian habitats. The majority of the lower altitude species have a very close association with water courses and flood patterns, probably for the purpose of dispersal. The middle to high altitude habitats (500-2500 or 3000 m) where most of the species grow are cloud forest, premontane and montane forest, cerrado, mata Atlântica, gallery forest, campo rupestre, montane scrub, and restinga. A small number of species may be found at altitudes of 3500-4000 m in subparamo and paramo. They usually grow on sandy soils but may also occur on rocky or clayey soils. A number of substrates have been recorded for this genus including sandstone, limestone, igneous rock, yellow latosols, and quartzite; it is also found in iron rich substrates like ferrobauxite, ferrous rocks, and red lateritic podsols. Distribution of species of Roupala by country. ARGENTINA. R. montana var. brasiliensis. BELIZE. R. glaberrima, R. montana var. montana. BOLIVIA. R. dielsii, R. fiebrigii, R. filiflora, R. montana var. brasiliensis, R. montana var. montana, R. monosperma var. monosperma. BRAZIL. R. adiantifolia, R. asplenioides, R. caparoensis, R. consimilis, R. dielsii, R. gracilis, R. longipetiolata, R. meisneri, R. montana var. brasiliensis, R. montana var. impressiuscula, R. montana var. montana, R. montana var. paraensis, R. nitida, R. nonscripta, R. obtusata, R. pallida, R. paulensis, R. psilocarpa, R. sculpta, R. suaveolens, R. thomesiana. COLOMBIA. R. dielsii, R. monosperma var. ecuadorensis, R. monosperma var. monosperma, R. montana var. montana, R. nitida, R. obtusata, R. pachypoda, R. pseudocordata var. jahnii. COSTA RICA. R. glaberrima, R. loranthoides, R. montana var. montana. ECUADOR. R. brachybotrys subsp. brachybotrys & subsp. cartilaginea, R. cordifolia, R. loxensis, R. monosperma var. ecuadorensis, R. monosperma var. monosperma, R. pachypoda, R. plinervia. EL SALVADOR. R. glaberrima, R. montana var. montana. FRENCH GUIANA. R. montana var. montana, R. nitida. GUATEMALA. R. glaberrima, R. montana var. montana. GUYANA. R. montana var. montana, R. obtusata, R. suaveolens. HONDURAS. R. montana var. montana. MEXICO. R. mexicana, R. montana var. montana. NICARAGUA. R. glaberrima, R. montana var. montana. PANAMA. R. glaberrima, R. monosperma var. monosperma, R. montana var. montana, R. percoriacea. PARAGUAY. R. montana var. montana. PERU. R. brachbotrys subsp. brachybotrys, R. cordifolia, R. dielsii, R. monosperma var. ecuadorenis, R. monosperma var. monosperma, R. montana var. montana, R. pachypoda. SURINAM. R. sororopana, R. montana var. montana. TOBAGO. R. tobagensis. TRINIDAD. R. montana var. montana. VENEZUELA. R. barnettiae, R. brachybotrys subsp. grossidentata, R. obtusata, R. suaveolens, R. sororopana, R. minima, R. monosperma var. monosperma, R. monosperma var. ecuadorensis, R. montana var. montana, R. pseudocordata var. jahnii, R. pseudocordata var. pseudocordata.

Distribution

Argentina South America| Bolivia South America| Brazil South America| Costa Rica South America| Belize Central America| Colombia South America| Ecuador South America| French Guiana South America| El Salvador Central America| Guatemala Central America| Guyana South America| Honduras Central America| Mexico North America| Panama Central America| Nicaragua Central America| Paraguay South America| Peru South America| Suriname South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Venezuela South America|