Eperua grandiflora (Aubl.) Baill. subsp. grandiflora, (Aubl.) Baill

Fortes, Elenice A., Dos, Ilka P., Steege, Hans Ter, Aymard, Gerardo, Secco, Ricardo De S., Martins-Da-Silva, Regina Célia V. & Mansano, Vidal F., 2023, A taxonomic revision of the genus Eperua (Leguminosae, Detarioideae, Detarieae), Phytotaxa 617 (1), pp. 1-127 : 59-60

9a. Eperua grandiflora (Aubl.) Baill. subsp. grandiflora

Leaves, margin flat to slightly revolute, rarely very revolute. Inflorescences pubescent to tomentose, sometimes puberulous; bracts tomentose, pubescent to puberulous externally, glabrous within; bracteoles 2.3–3.9 × 2.0– 3.7 mm, pubescent to tomentose, rarely puberulous externally, glabrous within; pedicel puberulous, pubescent to tomentose; buds pubescent to puberulous, sometimes glabrescent. Flowers: hypanthium tomentose, pubescent to puberulous; sepal pubescent, puberulous to glabrescent; stamens sheath irregularly tomentose, pubescent to puberulous, sometimes irregularly villous to entirely villous; ovary glabrous. Legumes glabrous.

Phenology:— Flowering in January, April, May, and from July to November; fruiting from January to April, in July, and from September to December.

Distribution:— Brazil (Amapá), French Guiana (Cayenne, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni), Guyana (Upper Demerara-Berbice), and Surinam (Sipaliwini).

Habitat:— Mainly in upland forests, sometimes in floodplains, from sea level to 990 m elev.

Occurrence in protected areas:— Parque Nacional Montanhas do Tumucumaque ( Brazil, Amapá), Réserve Naturelle Nationale de la Trinité (French Guiana, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni), Parque Nacional do Monte Roraima (Brazil-Roraima, Guyana- Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Mabura Hill Forest Reserve ( Guyana, Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Etymology:— The specific epithet relates to the species bigger flower compared with Parivoa tomentosa Aubl. (synonym of Crudia tomentosa (Aubl.) J.F.Macbr. ). But, after the combination of Pariova into Eperua the epithet became meaningless, as E. jenmanii is the species that has the biggest flowers in the genus.

Vernacular names:— apá (Dambrós L.A. 307, Rabelo B.V. et al. 3308), bii adu (Djuka) (Lescure J.P. 746), wap seinı (Grenand P. 3082), wapa (Thiel J. collections), wapa tapaka (Way„pi) (Lescure J.P. 746).

Uses:— Unknown.

Taxonomic notes:— Eperua grandiflora differs from other species with short and erect inflorescence and tubular corolla by the combination of the following characteristics: free stipules, intramarginal vein not very close to the margin, inflorescence with dense indumentum ( subsp. grandiflora and subsp. guyanensis ) or glabrous ( subsp. ciliata ), persistent bracteoles inserted high on the pedicels or at the base of the hypanthium, and non-glabrous sheath ( Table 2 ). According to Cowan (1975), the type subspecies differs from the subsp. guyanensis mainly by the flat leaflet margins (vs. revolute in subsp. guyanensis ), glabrous ovary (vs. sericeous in subsp. guyanensis ), and its distribution range along the Brazil-French Guiana border, coastal French Guiana and south-central Suriname (vs. central to south-central Guyana). Most specimens of each subspecies follow the pattern above, but we found two specimens with intermediary morphotypes: Pipoly J.J. & Boyan R. 8799 from Guyana, with revolute leaflet margins and glabrous ovary, and Redden K.M. et al. 1053 from Guyana, with flat leaflet margins and puberulous fruits. Considering only the indumentum of the ovary, the first collection can be identified as subsp. grandiflora , and the second one as subsp. guyanensis (puberulous fruits indicate a non-glabrous ovary). In the phylogenetic analysis, the subspecies appeared as a separated lineage, with the specimen Redden K.M. et al. 1053 nesting within subsp. guyanensis (Fortes et al in prep). Although this is a phylogenetic signal, there is an overlap in the distribution range and the vegetative characteristics, which justify the maintenance of subsp. guyanensis as an infraspecific category of E. grandiflora .

Most specimens of E. grandiflora subsp. grandiflora has irregularly tomentose, pubescent to puberulous sheaths, but we found one specimen with irregularly villous sheath (W.J. Hahn 3744) and one with entirely villous sheath (Goldenberg R. et al. 2632, Figure 34 ). These specimens were recorded in the same distribution range as the type subspecies. These described characteristics do not support them as a different species or an infraspecific category of E. grandiflora . Additionally, in the phylogenetic analysis, these two collections appeared as sister groups within E. grandiflora subsp. grandiflora (Fortes et al. in prep).

Selected specimens:— BRAZIL. Amapá, Lourenço, Calçoene, rio Araguari , 2°13’0”N 51°58’0”W, 02 September 1961, Pires J.M. et al. 50673 ( F, IAN, K, MG, NY, R, S, SP, U, US). Pedra Branca do Amapari, Parque Nacional Montanhas do Tumucumaque, rio Amapari , acima da base Jupará , 1°11’16”N 52°22’8”W, 15 September 2018, Goldenberg R. et al. 2632 ( RB, UPCB). Porto Grande, Cupixi, a cerca de 40 km a sudoeste da localidade de Serra do Navio, proximidade do rio Cupixi , 13 m elev., 0°37’0”N 52°10’0”W, 19 November 1983, Dambrós L.A. 307 ( HRB, INPA, RB ). Serra do Navio, Parque Nacional das Montanhas do Tumucumaque , margens do rio Amapari acima da base do ICMBio, 115 m elev, 1°10’26”N 52°21’34”W, Forzza R.C. et al. 9951 ( RB, HAMAB, UPCB, NY). FRENCH GUIANA. Cayenne, Cayenne , Quesnel-Chantier F.R.G., 10 December 1979, Thiel J. 603 ( CAY); exploitation forestière F.R.G., km 8 , 10 March 1981, Thiel J. 815 ( CAY). Kourou, rivière Kourou , bassin du Kourou , 15 October 1981, Thiel J. 890 ( CAY); montagne des Singes - 1, km 8 , région littorale, 21 October 1981, Thiel J. 900 ( CAY). Macouria, Matiti, Point-Quadrat MAT, 5°0’0”N 52°38’0”W, 20 November 2001, Prévost M.F. 4278 ( CAY, MO). Montsinéry-Tonnegrande, Montagne des Chevaux, Carrière SCC, 28 m elev., 4°44’34”N 52°26’12”W, 11 January 2009, Tostain O. et al. 2457 ( CAY). Régina, station des Nouragues (camp inselberg), trail CE near camp, 20–40 m elev., 4°5’30”N 52°41’0”W, 08 August 2008, Geiselman C.K. 165 ( NY). Roura, route de l’Est , km 0.5, bassin de l’Orapu , 23 April 1981, Thiel J. 826 ( CAY). Saint-Élie, piste de St.Elie , CD- 21, 100 m elev., 5°0’0”N 53°10’0”W, 15 September 1987, Hahn W.J. 3744 ( CAY, U, US, WAG). Sinnamary, crique Paracou , 03 November 1996, Hallé F. 4425 ( MPU, U); piste de Saint-Élie , km 11.5, 14 October 1980, Thiel J. 736 ( CAY). Gourdonville , unknown locality, 08 September 1914, Benoist R. 1595 ( P). Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni , Mana, St-Elie Réserve Naturelle des Montagnes de la Trinité-Plateau- Tabulaire , bassin de la Mana, 400–630 m elev., 4°35’0”N 53°21’0”W, July 1999, Poncy O. 2652 ( CAY). GUYANA. Upper Demerara-Berbice, Mabura hill and vinicity, 50–60 m elev., 5°25’0”N 58°40’0”W, 5°25’0”N 58°40’0”W, Pipoly J.J. & Boyan R. 8799 ( U, US). SURINAM. Sipaliwini, Nickerie, Fallawatra, 18 January 1972, Jimenez-saa J.H. 1698 (L.B.B. 14431) ( U).

Figures

FIGURE 34. Eperua grandiflora var. grandiflora: A. flowering branchlet; B. base of the leaflet; C. free non-foliaceous stipules; D. intramarginal vein, abaxial surface; E. detail of the inflorescence; F. flower, lateral view; G. flower, frontal view; H. part of a flower showing the bracteoles and sepals; I. adaxial petal; J. stamens joined in a diadelphous sheath; K. detail of the stamen indumentum; L. anther and part of the filament; M. glabrous carpel; N. stigma. Specimen, Goldenberg R. et al. 2632. Illustrated by Marcus Falc„o.