Gustavia longifolia Poepp. ex O.Berg

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T. & Mori, S. A. 1979. Lecythidaceae - Part I. The actinomorphic-flowered New World Lecythidaceae (Asteranthos, Gustavia, Grias, Allantoma & Cariniana). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-270. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Lecythidaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Gustavia longifolia Poepp. ex O.Berg

  • Type

    Type. Poeppig 2094 (lectotype, W; isolectotypes, A photo, F photo neg. no. 31635, W). Peru. Loreto:  Sylvae obscuris ad Yurimaguas, Dec 1830 (fl).

  • Synonyms

    Japarandiba longifolia (Poepp. ex O.Berg) Kuntze, Japarandiba spruceana Ule, Gustavia mangua J.F.Macbr., Gustavia iquitosensis R.Knuth, Gustavia tessmannii R.Knuth, Gustavia spruceana (Ule) O.Berg ex R.Knuth, Gustavia duckei R.Knuth, Gustavia magna Cuatrec., Gustavia dumitiana Garcia-Barr.

  • Description

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    Description - Trees, to 30 m x 50 cm, the leaf-bearing branches 7-20 mm in diameter, the leaves in one or more clusters at their ends. Bark brown, nearly smooth. Leaf blades narrowly obovate or oblanceolate, 40-120 x 8-38 cm, glabrous or minutely puberulous on the abaxial veins, with 27-49 pairs of lateral veins, narrowly tapered to an acute or cuneate base; apices acute or acuminate; margins entire, minutely serrulate or serrate. Petioles 5-90 x 4-15 mm, usually semicircular in cross section. Inflorescences cauline, racemose, with 5-16 flowers, the rachis 15-70 mm; pedicels 30-70 mm, subtended by a single ovate to oblong, rounded basal bract 2.5-6 x 2-5 mm and bearing at or slightly below the middle 2 ovate, cucullate bracteoles 2-5 x 2-8 mm. Flowers 6-16.5 cm in diameter; calyx with 4 broadly triangular or shallowly rounded lobes, 2-4 x 6-18 mm; petals 8(-9), narrowly oblong to oblanceolate, 30-80 x 10-45 mm, densely pubescent in bud, puberulous at anthesis, pale purple to dark red, sometimes rose-pink; connate androecial base 6-20 mm high, the outermost filaments 1225 mm, yellow with pale purple at the apex; anthers 2-5 mm; ovary often with 4 costae, usually rusty-tomentose on the outside, 4(-6) locular, white-woolly at the summit; style short, 1-1.5 mm, conical; stigma with 4 lobes. Fruits imperfectly known, to 75 mm long. Seeds angular in cross section, 30 x 20 mm, without a distinctive funicle.

  • Discussion

    Ecology. Gustavia longifolia is an understory tree of terra firme (= well drained) forests.

    All large-leafed individuals of Gustavia with cauline inflorescences, 4 calyx lobes, and usually more than 28 pairs of lateral veins which come from western Amazonia are considered by me to belong to this species. Gustavia coriacea of southern Venezuela is very closely related to G. longifolia, differing only in its slightly fewer pairs of lateral veins, somewhat more rounded leaf base, and more robust flowers. Another species, G. excelsa, of the Magdalena Valley of Colombia also has strong affinities with G. longifolia however it has considerably longer inflorescences.

  • Common Names

    cocora, Chopé, Sacha-manga, Chope Masha, Mangua, Sacha Chopé, Tripa de Polio, Chopé, Sachavaya

  • Distribution

    Gustavia longifolia is endemic to west central Amazonia. Several collections (Froes 22246, Loureiro et al INPA 37801) come from as far east as the Rio Negro.

    Colombia South America| Putumayo Colombia South America| Meta Colombia South America| Ecuador South America| Napo Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America|