Clusia insignis Martius (1829: 164)

Cabral, Fernanda Nunes, Bittrich, Volker & Hopkins, Michael John Gilbert, 2017, Clusiaceae s. l. (Calophyllaceae, Clusiaceae s. s. and Hypericaceae) in the Viruá National Park, Roraima, Brazil, Phytotaxa 329 (1), pp. 1-27 : 9-10

3.2 Clusia insignis Martius (1829: 164) ( Fig. 3C–E )

Lectotype (designated here):— BRAZIL. Amazonas : Oppidum Barra do Rio Negro (=Manaus), October 1818, fl., Martius s.n., (lectotype: M, barcode 0086179, isolectotypes: M, barcodes 0089137, 0086180).

Epiphytes, stranglers, or trees up to 30 m. Exudate yellow to cream. Lamina coriaceous, oboval, oboval-oblong or oboval-cuneate, 13–25 × 6–15 cm, apex rounded, base attenuate to cuneate; exudate channels inconspicuous on both surfaces; secondary veins conspicuous on both surfaces, 35–50 pairs, distant 1.5–3 mm; petiole 2.5–5 cm long. Inflorescence or flowers pendant: staminate plants with clustered or solitary flowers; pistillate plants with solitary flowers; pedicels 1–2(–3) cm long. Sepals 4, 18–20 × 17–20 mm, whitish to reddish. Petals 7–9, 40–60 × 30–35 mm, dark red to vinaceous adaxially, white abaxially. Staminate flowers with numerous stamens, in 8–12 series, united at the base; staminodes, united until the middle, forming a central flat disk, up to 1.5 cm wide, covered with yellow resin, pistillode absent. Pistillate flowers with numerous resiniferous staminodes, ca. 6 mm long, in 6–8 series surrounding the base of the ovary; stigmas 15–21, ca. 4 mm long, connivent. Fruit globose, 2.5 × 3 cm; sepals and staminodes persistent, stigmatic area ca. 14 mm wide. Seeds red, with yellow aril.

Phenology:—Flowering August to December; fruiting November to January.

Distribution and habitat:— Brazil and Venezuela. In Brazil, in the north region (states of Amapá, Amazonas, Pará and Roraima). In VNP, it grows on white-sand vegetation.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Roraima: Caracaraí, Viruá National Park, margem direita da Estrada Perdida em direção à primeira bueira (sul), a cerca de 800 m da bifurcação para a entrada do Parque, 01º28’22.9”S, 60º58’7.9”W, 12 January 2015, fr., Amaral & Bittrich 2015/13 (INPA!).

Additional specimens:— BRAZIL. Roraima: Plateau of Serra Tepequem, elevation 1,200 m, 18 February 1967, fl., Prance et al. 4505 (NY, UEC!).

Taxonomic notes:—This species is easy to distinguish from all other Clusia species in VNP by its yellowish exudate, the long petiole abruptly broadened at the base and the large leaf blades.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Clusia candelabrum (A. Staminate flower; B. Fruit), Clusia insignis (C. Habit with pistillate and staminate flower; D. Staminate flower; E. Fruit; photos from specimens collected in Gran Sabana, Venezuela, Amaral & Bittrich 91-26) and Clusia lopezii (F. Pistillate flower; G. Staminate flower; H. Fruit).