Taccarum caudatum Rusby
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Authority
Rusby, Henry H. 1927. Descriptions of New Genera and Species of Plants Collected on the Mulford Biological Exploration of the Amazon Valley 1921-1922. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 7: 205-387.
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Family
Araceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
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Species Description - Glabrous throughout. Petiole and peduncle arising together from the summit of the corm; when young, both enclosed in a broad obtuse membranaceous, and at length scarious sheath. Petiole 8 dm. long, 3 cm. thick at the base, 1 cm. at the summit, terete, green or purplish-blotched. Leaf peltate, 3-parted, the divisions 3 dm. long and as broad or broader, sessile, bipinnate, the pinnatifid pinnae separated by one or more small simple ones. Ultimate segments very unequal, the lower smaller, lanceolate or oblanceolate, acuminate and acute, entire, brightgreen, the midrib and secondaries impressed above, prominent beneath, the latter 3 or 4 on each side. Eelative length of peduncle variable, usually about 2 dm. long, about half as thick as the petiole, terete. Spathe convolute below, open above, extending to the base of the staminate portion of the spadix, thin, inflated, becoming scarious, and at length deciduous, broadly obtuse at the summit, the base very oblique, one side dropping much below the base of the spadix. Pistillate portion of spadix 1 dm. long, 1.5 cm. thick, densely flowered. Staminate portion nearly 2 dm. long, 1 cm. thick at the base, tapering regularly to the summit, not very densely flowered, deciduous or decaying after flowering. Staminate Flowers.—Stamens 10, contiguous but distinct or nearly so, borne on a stipe 1 cm. long, this thickened upward, where it is irregularly sulcate, green or purplish, the summit expanded into a fleshy receptacle with tumid summit slightly surpassing the anthers and of blackish color. Anthers oblong, sessile, so crowded as often to be forced out of position, 2 mm. long, the mass 4 mm. broad.Pistillate Flowers.—Sessile, subtended by 4 or 5 staminodia, which are appressed and about two-thirds the length of the ovary, their lower portions pale, thin, 2.5 mm. broad and nearly triangular in form, connate beneath the ovary, the upper portion purple, narrowed, and the obtuse summit dilated. Ovary brightgreen, 5 mm. broad and about half as long, 4- or 5-lobed, the lobes rounded on the back, the summit nearly plane. Style 4 mm. long, stout, white, fleshy. Stigma yellow, glutinous, 2.5 mm. broad, lightly 4- or 5-lobed. Corm 8 cm. broad, 3.5 cm. high, the base broadly rounded, the summit nearly plane, surmounted by a dark-colored disk 3 cm. broad and 1 cm. high, from which emanate a number of thin white rhizomes about 6 cm. long, which bear the fibrous roots.
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Discussion
The description is drawn from the living plant in the conservatory of The New York Botanical Garden. Collected by the author at Eurrenabaque, 1,000 feet, October, 1921. Growing in damp soil along a roadside through the forest. Also collected by 0. E. White in the same locality, November 30 (no. 2302), and at Huachi, 3,000 feet, September 24 (no. 1077). Species nearest to T. Hasslerianum Chodat, which has a similar slender staminate portion of the spadix. In Bolivia, this corm is known as "soliman," a name that is applied to a number of Araceous rhizomes, as well as to Hura. These Araceous products are said to be used in the manufacture of arrow-poisons, but the native information regarding their use appeared rather indefinite.