Tovomita spruceana Planchon & Triana (1860: 277)

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 : 17-18

7.1 Tovomita spruceana Planchon & Triana (1860: 277) ( Fig. 6A–B )

Type:— FRENCH GUIANA. s.d., fl., Spruce 2428 (syntypes: BR, barcode 0000005913534, G, barcode 00355515, GH, barcode 00067917, K, barcode 000488533, NY, barcode 00578998, P, barcode 00093878) & 3554 (syntype: P, barcode 00093880).

Trees up to 5 m. Exudate light yellow. Lamina subcoriaceous, elliptical, 12.5–21.6 × 4.9–7.6 cm, apex slightly acuminate, acute to obtuse, base acute; exudate channels conspicuous on the abaxial surface; secondary veins prominent, conspicuous on both surfaces, 14–16 pairs, distant 6.3–15 mm; petiole 2.1–4.4 cm long. Inflorescence pleochasial, flowers pedicellate, cream, fragrant. Floral buds oblong, apex rounded. Sepals 2, 8–10 × 8–10 mm, longitudinally striated, green. Petals 4, 10–12 × 5–6 mm. Staminate flowers with stamens, ca. 5 mm long, cylindrical, shorter in the center. Pistillate flowers with numerous staminodes, ca. 4 mm long. Ovary 8–10 × 6–8 mm, 5 locules, 1 ovule per locule; stigma 5. Fruit 4–5 × 2–3 cm, pyriform, stigma persistent. Seed 1.7–2.2 × 0.8–0.9 cm (immature), surrounded by a fleshy orange aril.

Phenology:—Flowering October; fruiting November to December.

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

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Roraima: Caracaraí, Viruá National Park , elevation 67 m, 1º29’11’’N, 61º02’41’’W, 26 November 2009, fr., Cabral et al. 20 ( INPA) ; Ibid., elevation 60 m, 1º27’01’’N, 61º00’48’’W, 2 December 2009, fr., Cabral et al. 91 ( INPA) .

Taxonomic notes:—It is possible to differentiate Tovomita spruceana from T. umbellata Bentham (1843: 367) only by vegetative characters. Tovomita spruceana has shorter internodes and leaf lamina and a longer petiole than T. umbellata . When in floral buds, Tovomita spruceana is distinguished by T. umbellata by its oblong floral buds with rounded apex (vs. ovate floral buds with acute apex in T. umbellata ).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Tovomita spruceana (A. Habit; B. Mature fruit), Tovomita umbellata (C. Habit; D. Flower) and Vismia cayennensis (E. Habit; F. Flower; G. Fruit).