Vismia micrantha Mart. ex A.St.-Hil.
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Authority
Ewan, Joseph A. 1962. Synopsis of the South American species of Vismia (Guttiferae). Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 35: 293-377. pls. 1-5.
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Family
Clusiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type: Syntypes "in sylvis et campis provinciae Minas Geraës prope San Gabriel, vicum vulgo Catas Altas, urbem Villa Rica, et in monte Serra Negra," presumably referring to St. Hilaire collections, now at Paris. Presumably authentic material for the Spix & Martius description: Without locality, Martius 970 (BM, G, K, L, MO, P, W, WU).
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Description
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Description - Tree; leaves rather thin, more or less green on both surfaces, the blades short-ovate, 6-10 cm. long, 3-4 cm. wide, finely glandularpunctate and often thinly hirtellous beneath, especially along the veins, with mostly simple hairs; panicle often very compound, rather compact, the flowers numerous; sepals oblong, rounded, thinnish, with no or a barely distinct marginal flange, glabrate; petals about twice as long as the sepals, cream-colored, obovate, tomentulose within, punctate on the back with black glands; stamen column bearing 3 anthers; ripe fruit globose to short-pyriform, black, 4 mm. long, usually tipped with 5 persistent styles, the sepals spreading.
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Discussion
Vismia micrantha is easily distinguished from all other species by the unique character of its stamens, but a certain affinity with V. brasiliensis is suggested by characters of both the foliage and the inflorescence. It will be noted that both species differ from the section Euvismia in having a reduced number of stamens borne on a single stamen column. These two Vismias are in fact not easily distinguished in sterile condition. However, the secondary veins in Vismia micrantha in anastomosing at or near the margin unite by a weak connecting vein, this often freely branching. In V. brasiliensis, on the other hand, the secondaries anastomose by a single strong connecting vein, without branches to the margin. The shape, size, and pubescence of the leaves of the two species are very similar, but on the whole V. micrantha has thinner leaf-blades than those of V. brasiliensis. The tomentulose sepals of V. brasiliensis often contrast easily with the glabrato sepals of V. micrantha; the fruit of the former is larger and generally the styles are earlier deciduous than those of V. micrantha.