Ormosia smithii Rudd

• Authority

  Rudd, Velva E. 1965. The American Species of Ormosia (Leguminosae). Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 32(5): 279-384.

• Family

  Fabaceae

• Scientific Name

  Ormosia smithii Rudd

• Type

  Type in the U.S. National Herbarium, no. 1777602, collected in forest, Isherton, basin of the Rupununi River, British Guiana, November 11, 1937, by A. C. Smith (no. 2455). Isotypes at A, F, K, MO, NY, P, S, U, Y.

• Description

  
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  Latin Diagnosis - Arbor usque ad 20 m. alta; ramuli novelli fulvo- vel pallido-velutini; stipulae minutae, deltoideae, circiter 2 mm. longae, basi 0.5 mm. longae, caducae; folia 5-9-foliolata, axi 9-22 cm. longo, fulvo-velutino, petiolo 4-8 cm. longo, jugis inter sese 2-5 cm. distantibus, foliolis cum petiolulis 5-10 mm. longis et 2-2.5 mm. diametro, laminis coriaceis vel subcoriaceis, ovatis vel obovato-oblongis, (2-) 4-15 cm. longis, (1.5-) 2-6 cm. latis, acutis vel breviacuminatus, acumine ad 10 mm. longo, basi obtusis, supra glabris, subnitidis, subtus subtiliter pubescentibus vel suffarinosis, interdum venis maioribus tomentulosis, venis secundariis plus minus prominentibus, utrinsecus circiter 11-14, fere parallelis, inter sese 5-15 mm. distantibus, angulis venarum costaeque circiter 50°-60°; inflorescentiae cum axibus fulvo- vel canotomentulosis, glabrescentibus, bracteis linearibus, circiter 3 mm. longis et 1 mm. latis vel minus, bracteolis linearibus, circiter 1 mm. longis; flores 13-15 mm. longi, calyce pallido- vel fulvo-velutino, 6-7 mm. longo, tubo circiter 4 mm. longo et 4 mm. diametro, dentibus 2-3 mm. longo, petalis violaceis vel purpureis, vexillo macula alba notato; fructus dehiscens, sublignosus, glaber, nitidus, castaneus, nigratus, 1-5, communes 1-spermus, 2-5 (-10) cm. longus, 1.5 cm. latus, inter semina aliquanto constrictus, circiter 1.5 cm. crassus, valvulis 1-2 mm. crassisj semina bicolora, coccinea macula nigra notata, 12-14 mm. longa, 10-11 mm. lata, et 8-9 mm. crassa, hilo 2 mm. longo et 1 mm. lato.

• Discussion

  Although the fruit and seeds of 0. smithii are entirely different from those of 0. excelsa, the pallid pubescence of the floral axes is similar. Two specimens here assigned to 0. smithii (Spruce 1958 and 3785) were cited by Bentham (Fl. Bras. 15 (1) : 317. 1862) as 0. coccinea, which is similar in seed characters but otherwise differs in many respects, as indicated in the key and descriptions. Ducke (Ann. Acad. Bras. 11 : 189. 1939) identified collections of 0. smithii (Ducke 7168 and Kuhlmann 3133) as 0. discolor, apparently on the basis of table 126 in Flora Brasiliensis (15(1). 1862), which, unfortunately, does not accurately represent 0. discolor.