Vismia macrophylla Kunth (1821: 184)

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 : 22

8.4 Vismia macrophylla Kunth (1821: 184) ( Fig. 7F–G , Fig. 8A )

Type:— VENEZUELA. Amazonas: banks of the Río Casiquiare, s.d., fl., Humboldt & Bonpland s.n. (holotype: P, barcode 00679837).

= Vismia angusta Miquel (1844: 27) .

Trees or rarely shrubs up to 2– 25 m. Exudate orange to yellowish; branches densely ferrugineous-tomentose, with stellate to dendroid trichomes. Lamina coriaceous, oblong to lanceolate or ovate, 10–42 × 6–18 cm, apex shortly acuminate, base cordate to rounded; secondary veins prominent, 12–31, distant 7–15 mm; petiole 10–25 mm long, ferrugineous-tomentose. Inflorescences with 5–6(–7) flowers. Flowers heterostylous. Sepals 5–6 mm long, whitish, sparsely ferrugineous pubescent with stellate-dendroid trichomes and densely covered with tiny whitish papillae. Petals 10–13 × 2–2.5 mm, distally reflexed and glandular-punctate. Fascicles of stamens ca. 3 mm long, stamens ca. 25 per fascicle. Fruits ovoid-subglobose to globose, 1.2–1.4 × 1.1–1.3 cm, sepals reflexed, stamen fascicles persistent. Seeds 2.5–3.5 mm long.

Phenology:—Flowering November to June; fruiting June and November.

Distribution and habitat:—Widespread in northern South America, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico and Peru. In Brazil, it occurs in the north region (states of Acre, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia and Roraima), and in the central-west region (state of Mato Grosso). In VNP, it grows in white-sand vegetation.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Roraima: Caracaraí, Viruá National Park, Margem esquerda da Estrada Perdida, a cerca de 500 m da bifurcação para a sede do Parque, em direção à primeira bueira (sul), 01°28’33.4”N ; 60°58’5.4”W, 12 January 2015, fl., Amaral & Bittrich 2015/17 ( INPA, UEC) .

Additional specimens:— BRAZIL. Amazonas: Balbina, Ilha na Represa Uatumã , 2 km da base WABA, 1º00’S, 59º00’W, 6 August 2006, fr., Zartman et al. 5912 ( UEC). Bahia: Camamu, povoado de Barcelos do Sul , 18 July 2005, fl., Miranda & Silva 5166 ( UEC). Mato Grosso: Aripuanã, margem da MT-420 a 30 km da cidade em direção a Juruena, 10º15’43”S, 59º16’57”W, 4 July 1997, fr., Assis et al. 486 ( UEC) ; Chapada dos Guimarães, Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Guimarães, 1 March 1997, fr., Nave et al. 1294 ( UEC). Rondônia: Porto Velho, UHE de Samuel, Rio Jamari , 11 February 1989, fl., Maciel & Rosário 1587 ( UEC) .

Taxonomic notes:— Vismia macrophylla is very easy to distinguish from other Vismia species found in VNP, by its very large petiole and lamina and cordate to rounded leaf base. Furthermore, the stellate to dendroid trichomes do not cover the dark glandular dots on the abaxial side of the lamina. As a result of the distally reflexed petals, the corolla has a star-like form. At VNP, V. macrophylla is the only species that exhibits this feature.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Vismia japurensis (A. Habit; B. Flower), Vismia laxiflora (C. Habit; D. Flower; E. Fruit) and Vismia macrophylla (F. Habit; G. Flower; photos from specimens collected in Serra Tepequem, Roraima, Brazil, Amaral & Bittrich 2015/01).

FIGURE 8. Vismia macrophylla (A. Flower, photo from specimen collected in Serra Tepequem, Roraima, Brazil, Amaral & Bittrich 2015/01) and Vismia sp. (B. Fruit).