Pseudolmedia macrophylla Trécul

  • Authority

    Berg, Cornelius C. 2001. Moreae, Artocarpeae, and (Moraceae): With introductions to the family and and with additions and corrections to Flora Neotropica Monograph 7. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 83: 1-346. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Moraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pseudolmedia macrophylla Trécul

  • Synonyms

    Pseudolmedia murure Standl.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Revised description: Tree, to 35 m tall. Leafy twigs (1-)2-9 mm thick, with yellow to brownish appressed to patent firm hairs, often intermixed with much shorter patent hairs; scars of the stipules mostly prominent. Lamina oblong to subobovate or to subovate, (8-) 10-33 × 3.5-13 cm, slightly inequilateral, (sub)coriaceous; apex acuminate; base acute to obtuse (to subcordate); upper surface almost glabrous to puberulous or hirtellous on the veins; lower surface appressed-pubescent to -puberulous to hirtellous, sometimes slightly rugose; lateral veins 1421 (-25) pairs; tertiary venation largely scalariform; petiole 0.3-2 cm long; stipules (0.4-)l-1.5 cm long, yellow-sericeous, caducous. Staminate inflorescences ca. 0.8-1.5 cm diam., concave; involucral bracts in 68 series, reniform to suborbiculate to ovate to lanceolate, obtuse (to mucronate), yellow-sericeous; filaments (0.05-)0.1-0.4 mm long; anthers ca. 1.5-2 mm × 0.4-0.6 mm, with apical hairs; interstaminal scales (= tepals) 3-8 mm long, lanceolate to linear, hairy. Pistillate inflorescences 0.2-0.3 cm diam.; involucral bracts in 3-6 series, reniform to ovate, obtuse to acute, yellow-sericeous or yellowish to whitish appressed-puberulous; perianth ca. 2-3 mm long, brownish-velutinous to subsericeous; stigmas 7-9 mm long. Fruiting perianth subglobose to ellipsoid, 1-2.2 cm long, brown-velutinous to sparsely appressed-puberulous, sometimes only at the apex.

  • Discussion

    New collections have made it more and more difficult to separate P. macrophylla, typically with robust leafy twigs, relatively large leaves and densely hairy fruiting perianths, as found in the upper Amazon Basin (Peru and Ecuador), from P. murure, typically with more slender and less hairy leafy twigs, relatively small leaves and sparsely hairy fruiting perianths, as found in the lower Amazon Basin (Pará and Maranhão). As far as can be concluded from material at hand, in particular collections from northern Bolivia and from Acre and Rondônia (Brazil), the two entities appear to be extremes of a more or less distinctly clinal variation from the lower Amazon Basin (Pará) through the southern part of the middle Amazon Basin to Bolivia and from there northwards to Ecuador.

    The eastern form of Pseudolmedia macrophylla and P. laevis can have leaves of about the same size. The two taxa can usually be distinguished by the indumentum: appressed with hairs not distinctly different in length on the stipules and leafy twigs in P. macrophylla, and distinctly different in length and usually ± patent at least on the stipules in P. laevis. The lower surface of the lamina is often distinctly rugose in P. laevis and only sometimes slightly so in P macrophylla.

  • Distribution

    In the Amazon Basin, mainly the southern part and western part, also in eastern Brazil (Bahia); in non-inundated forest; to 1600 m.

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