Virola elongata (Benth.) Warb.

Santamaria-Aguilar, Daniel, Aguilar, Reinaldo & Lagomarsino, Laura P., 2019, A taxonomic synopsis of Virola (Myristicaceae) in Mesoamerica, including six new species, PhytoKeys 134, pp. 1-82 : 1

4. Virola elongata (Benth.) Warb. Fig. 10 C–D

Virola elongata (Benth.) Warb. Nova Acta Acad. Caes. Leop.-Carol. German. Nat. Cur. 68: 178. 1897.

Myristica elongata Benth. Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 5: 5. 1853. Type. Brazil. "Brasilia prope Borba", Aug. 1828, [L.] Riedel 116 or s.n. (holotype: K; isotypes: B destroyed, BM, C, G, LE, P, S; fide Jaramillo et al. 2004).

Distinctive characters.

Virola elongata it is recognized by its relatively small leaf blades [10.8-18.5 × 2.7-3.7 (-5.1) cm] with a sparsely pubescent abaxial surface with stellate to dendritic-stellate trichomes that are usually sessile ( Fig. 3D ) and few lateral veins (9-14 per side) that are well separated [(0.8-) 1-1.7 cm apart] ( Fig. 8D ); staminate inflorescences with thin axes and flowers with short filament columns (0.3-0.4 mm long), anthers that are apiculate at the apex (apicula 0.1-0.2 mm long) and more than twice the length of the column (0.6-0.9 mm long); and its small fruits (1.6-1.9 × 0.9-1.1 cm) ( Fig. 4L ) that are green when ripe (drying light brown in herbarium specimens with the surface blistering to rough), inconspicuously to sparsely pubescent (densely pubescent when young) with trichomes that are dendritic and brown to ferruginous in colour (when present), pericarp that is 0.5-0.7 mm thick and an aril that is thin and laciniate in narrow bands.

Distribution.

In Mesoamerica, Virola elongata is only known in Panama ( Colón, Panamá and San Blas) ( Fig. 9D ). It has been recorded from between 50-450 m elevation.

Common names.

None recorded in Mesoamerica.

Phenology.

Specimens of Virola elongata with flowers were collected in July, October and September and with fruits in January, February, April, July, August and October. Collections with pistillate flowers were not seen.

Field characters.

Plants are trees between (3-) 7-15 m tall and 0.7-12 cm DBH. Bark cuts are sometimes aromatic. Leaf blades are light green or whitish abaxially. Flowers have a yellow or yellow-orange perianth.

Selected specimens seen.

Panama. Colón: Camino a la zona maderera de Santa Rita, no elev., 03 Oct 1968 (♂ fl), M. D. Correa & R. L. Dressler 1078 (MO!); Santa Rita, East ridge, no elev., 23 Jan 1968 (fr), J. D. Dwyer & Correa 8420 (MO!); near Rio Boqueron, no elev., 11 Oct 1974 (♂ fl), S. Mori & J. Kallunki 2423 (MO!); Santa Rita Ridge, 1000-1200 ft [305-365 m] elev., 25 Sep 1985 (♂ fl), K. J. Sytsma 1346 (MO!). Panamá: Una milla después del Lago Goofy, no elev., 04 Jan 1968 (imm fr), M. D. Correa & R. L. Dressler 585 (MO!); El Llano-Carti road, 350 m elev., 16 Jul 1987 (fl bud), G. McPherson 11275 (MO!); Cerro Azul, [600 m elev.], 06 Aug 1961 (fl bud, imm fr), J. D. Dwyer 1383 (MO!); Canal Zone, between Chilibre and Madden Dam, no elev. and date (fr), J. D. Dwyer 8420A (MO!); vicinity of El Llano, no elev., 07-08 Sep 1962 (♂ fl), J. A. Duke 5508 (MO!); along Rio Terable, [50 m elev.], 14-15 Sep 1962 (♂ fl), J. A. Duke 5667 (MO!); West of El Llano, [20-50 m elev.], 03 Oct 1972 (imm fr, ♂ fl), E. L. Tyson 6866, 6867 (MO!). San Blas: San Blas–Panama border, 300 m elev., 01 Feb 1989 (fr), G. McPherson 13674 (MO!); Río Cangandi, 100 m elev., 17 Feb 1985 (fr), G. de Nevers 4891 (MO!).

Figures

Figure 3. Trichomes in Mesoamerican Virola A Virola allenii (R. Aguilar 2224, MO) B V. amistadensis (G. McPherson 8703, MO) C V. chrysocarpa (O. Valverde 970, MO) D V. elongata (G. McPherson 13674, MO) E V. fosteri (G. McPherson 20913, MO) F V. guatemalensis (R. Cedillo 3349, MO) G V. koschnyi (R. E. Gereau et al. 3455, MO) H V. laevigata (R. Aguilar 2004, MO) I V. megacarpa (J. A. Duke 15261, MO) J V. montana (E. Bello 855, MO) K V. multiflora (R. Rueda et al. 8196, MO; inset, J. C. Sandino 3302, MO) L V. nobilis from Barro Colorado (R. J. Schmalzel 320, MO) M V. otobifolia (G. de Nevers & H. Herrera 7056, MO) N V. sebifera (F. Almeda et al. 5553, MO) O V. nobilis from Osa Peninsula (R. Aguilar 11186, MO).

Figure 4. Fruits of Mesoameican Virola, organised in groups of morphologically similar species A V. allenii (P. H. Allen 6727, GH) B V. amistadensis (G. McPherson 9715, MO) C V. otobifolia (A. Gentry & S. Mori 14199, MO) D V. macrocarpa (A. E. Lawrance 675, MO) E V. chrysocarpa (B. Hammel et al. 16864, MO) F V. koschnyi (R. Robles 1587, MO) G V. guatemalensis (S. Sinaca 1542, MO) H V. montana (J. Utley & K. Utley 5054, MO) I V. fosteri (S. Mori & J. Kallunki 4891, MO) J V. multiflora (R. Rueda et a. l 9960, MO) K V. sebifera (T. B. Croat 5959, MO) L V. elongata (J. D. Dwyer & M. Correa 8420, MO) M V. laevigata (R. Aguilar 1585, MO) N V. nobilis from Barro Colorado (T. B. Croat 8090, MO) O V. nobilis from the Osa Peninsula (G. Herrera 4222, MO) P V. megacarpa (G. de Nevers 5184, MO). Scale bars: 1 cm.

Figure 8. Pattern of the lateral veins in Mesoamerican Virola A Virola allenii (K. Thomsen 1284, NO) B V. amistadensis (G. McPherson 8703, MO) C V. chrysocarpa (B. Hammel et al. 16864, MO) D V. elongata (M. Correa & R. L. Dressler 1078, MO) E V. fosteri (G. de Nevers 7226, MO) F V. guatemalensis (G. Ibarra 957, MO) G V. koschnyi (J. Miller & J. C. Sandino 1110, MO) H V. laevigata (N. Zamora & T. D. Pennington 1583, MO) I V. megacarpa (G. de Nevers 5184, MO) J V. montana (E. Lepiz & J. F. Morales 284, MO) K V. multiflora (J. Manzanares 3561, MO) L V. nobilis from Barro Colorado (R. J. Schmalzel 320, MO) M V. otobifolia (G. de Nevers et al. 7530, MO) N V. sebifera (T. B. Croat 5959, MO) O V. nobilis from Osa Peninsula (R. Aguilar 11186, MO).

Figure 9. Geographic distribution of Virola allenii (A), V. amistadensis (B), V. chrysocarpa (C), V. elongata (D), V. fosteri (E) and V. guatemalensis (F).

Figure 10. Virola calophylla A branch with leaves, showing both sides B branch with inflorescences. Virola elongata C leafy branch with inflorescences, inset fruit D inflorescences. Virola guatemalensis E, F leaf blades showing adaxial (E) and abaxial (F) surface. G young twigs and petioles. Photos by Robin Foster (A, B), from https: // plantidtools. fieldmuseum. org / en / nlp; Steven Paton (C, D), Rolando Perez (C inset), from https: // stricollections. org / portal / index. php and Angela Rojas (E-G).