Laxoplumeria baehniana Monachino (1949: 68)

Morales, J. Francisco & Morais, Isa Lucia De, 2018, Studies in the Neotropical Apocynaceae LII: A synopsis of Laxoplumeria with three new species, Phytotaxa 343 (1), pp. 35-46 : 39

Laxoplumeria baehniana Monachino (1949: 68) .

Type : — BRAZIL. Amazonas : Eiruneré , basin of upper Jurua , Valparaiso , Igarapé Campinas, 26 Oct 1946, Fróes 21694 (Holotype, NY!; isotypes, MO!, SP!, US!, WIS!) Figs. 2 , 6 .

Trees ca. 15 m, stems glabrous, sap unknown. Leaves alternate, petioles 20–29 mm; leaf blade 13.5–22.5 × 4.8–6 cm, obovate, the apex obtuse, the base narrowly cuneate, glabrous, with 11–16 pairs of secondary veins. Inflorescences 3–4 cm long, glabrous, peduncles 4–10 mm, pedicels 1.5–3 mm, bracts less than 1 mm; calyx lobes 1.5–1.6 mm, ovate, the apex acute, glabrous; corolla color unknown, glabrous, tube 3.9–4.1 × 1.5–2 mm, lobes 6–7.5 × 0.8–1.5(–2) mm, narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate-elliptic; stamens inserted in the distal part of the corolla tube, near the mouth, anthers 1–1.2 mm; ovary 0.9–1 mm de largo, nectary ca. 1/5 of the ovary length. Follicles 34–36 × 0.5–0.8 cm, glabrous; seeds 2–2.2 cm, coma 1–1.5 cm, tan.

Distribution and habitat: — Known only from the type locality, growing in igarape forest below 150 m. Flowering in October.

Observations:— Laxoplumeria baehniana resembles L. verticillata by its reduced inflorescences, but differs by its alternate leaves (vs. verticillate to subverticillate), leaf blade obovate (vs. elliptic), and corolla lobes 6–7.5 mm long (vs. 2.6–2.8 mm). The name has been misapplied in herbaria for material from French Guiana and Minas Gerais, Brazil. The voucher cited by Simões et al. (2016) as L. baehniana (Mendes-Magalhães 15670, CR, MO) is described here as a new species ( L. verticillata ).

Representative specimens examined: — Acre: near mouth of Macauhan river, tributary of Yaci river, Krukoff 5720 (AA, K, MO, NY, S).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Laxoplumeria baehniana (A–E from Fróes 21694, NY, F–G from Krukoff 5720, K). A. Branch with inflorescence. B. Sepal, adaxial view. C. Corolla. D.Anther. E. Gynoecium and nectary. F. Open fruits. G. Seed.

FIGURE 6. Distribution map of Laxoplumeria species.