Grias, Linnaeus, 1759

Cornejo, Xavier, 2023, Grias portillae (Lecythidaceae): A new tree species from northwestern Ecuador, Phytotaxa 625 (2), pp. 211-219 : 216-217

Identification key to species of Grias

1. Flowers with petals at anthesis erect or sometimes reflexed inwards at apex to moderately spreading, filament of outer stamens fused ½ to 4/5 of its length into a conspicuous obloid-spheroid to subglobose staminal tube; filaments tapered into anthers, anthers oblong, 2–3 mm long (fresh material), ± laterally compressed, the connective expanded, cucullate, with lateral flaps covering most of the thecae........................................................................................................................................................................................2

- Flowers with petals at anthesis broadly spreading over 50° to patent or even somewhat reflexed, filament of outer stamens free for most to ½ of its length, fused at base forming an inconspicuous staminal tube; filaments constricted at apex, anthers suborbicular to broadly ellipsoid, 0.5–1 mm long (fresh material), laterally expanded, the connective highly reduced or absent, never larger than or enclosing the thecae .......................................................................................................................................................................4

2. Petals 4–6 cm long, androecium rose to pink, staminal tube ca. 30 mm long (fresh material), filaments terete in cross section, the anthers 2-apiculate at apex; floral bracts 5–7 × 3–3.5 mm; leaf blades 42–75 cm wide; petioles in cross section displaying a lower arc of c. 12 vascular bundles; SW Colombia............................................................................................................. G. purpuripetala

- Petals 2–3 cm long, androecium creamish-white, staminal tube 7–8 mm long (fresh material), filaments angled in cross section, the anthers rounded at apex; floral bracts 1.5–3 × 1.5–2.5 mm; leaf blades 20–42 cm wide; petioles in cross section displaying a lower arc of 5–7 vascular bundles; NW Ecuador...............................................................................................................................3

3. Leaves sessile or subsessile, blade apex shortly acuminate; bracteoles absent; petals pearl-white to somewhat greenish and pinkishcream or yellowish; stamens 34–40, inserted in two whorls ................................................................................. G. theobromicarpa

- Leaves petiolate, petioles 5–13 cm long, blade apex shortly caudate; bracteoles present; petals dark-purple, stamens 18–21, inserted in one whorl ....................................................................................................................................................................... G. portillae

4. Inflorescences elongate racemes, often multi-flowered; the rachis 5–110 cm long, and 2.5–13 mm diam.......................................5

- Inflorescences fasciculate or short racemes, usually few-flowered otherwise a solitary flower; the rachis, if present, to c. 5 cm long (to 6 cm in G. haughtii ), and 1–2.5(–5) mm diam .............................................................................................................................7

5. Calyx with 4 distinct lobes from bud, hypanthium subtended by 2 persistent bracteoles; flower buds globose; summit of ovary conical and tapering to stigma ........................................................................................................................................ G. neuberthii

- Calyx splitting in two to four irregular lobes, hypanthium without bracteoles; flower buds ovoid; summit of ovary broadly obtuse to rounded, not tapering to stigma......................................................................................................................................................6

6. Several to many-branched trees; rachis to c. 10 cm x 2–5 mm; pedicels 1–2.5 mm thick; flower buds subtended by inconspicuous bracts; fruits light-brown; leaf blades 8–30 cm broad, often petiolate............................................................................ G. peruviana

- Pachycaulous, unbranched to few-branched trees; rachis 30–110 cm x 7–13 mm; pedicels 3–4 mm thick; flower buds subtended by conspicuous but early caducous bracts; fruits chocolate-dark-brown; leaf blades 30–60 cm broad, sessile … Grias longirachis

7. Several to usually many-branched trees, the crown usually open......................................................................................................8

- Pachycaulous, unbranched to few-branched trees, the crown narrow..............................................................................................11

8. Fruits at maturity 7.5–13 cm long ......................................................................................................................................................9

- Fruits at maturity 3–6 cm long .........................................................................................................................................................10

9. Trunk swollen at base; flowers with petals 8–10 mm wide; Jamaica............................................................................. G. cauliflora

- Trunk ± cylindric at base; flowers with petals 10–25 mm wide; SW Colombia to W Ecuador, and Amazonian lowlands of Ecuador and Peru........................................................................................................................................................................... G. peruviana

10. Pedicels ebracteolate; fruits brown to/or orange at maturity; Mesoamerica to Colombia............................................ Grias fendleri

- Pedicels bearing two ovate, caducous bracteoles c. 2 x 2 mm just above the base; fruits yellow at maturity; western Colombia..... ................................................................................................................................................................................. Grias colombiana

11. Flowers and fruits with pedicels 4–11 cm long ............................................................................................................ G. multinervia

- Flowers and fruits with pedicels 0.5–3 cm long...............................................................................................................................12

12. Petals 0.4–0.8 cm wide (in dry flowers); outer stamens rather centrifugally arranged at anthesis, the anthers subterminal, laterally arranged on the inner side of—and ± exceeded by—the filament tip ....................................................................... G. angustipetala

- Petals 1–2.5 cm wide (in dry flowers); outer stamens centripetally reflexed downward at anthesis, the anthers terminal .............13

13. Leaf blades almost bullate above, the tertiary veins strongly prominent and densely pilose, especially on veins beneath; flowers and fruits with pedicels 3–7 mm long ............................................................................................................................ G. subbullata

- Leaf blades smooth above, the tertiary veins impressed to plain or prominulous and glabrous to inconspicuously pubescent beneath; flowers and fruits with pedicels 9–30 mm long ...............................................................................................................................14

14. Inflorescence short racemes, the rachis 0.8–6 cm long; stamens 100–180; ovary semi-inferior, protruding from the staminal ring center as a broadly conical to emergent ovary summit; midvein 10–22 mm wide at base beneath; Colombia (Antioquia, Santander) .......................................................................................................................................................................... G. haughtii

- Inflorescence fasciculate or inconspicuous racemes, the rachis if present to ca. 1 cm long; stamens 45–70; ovary strictly inferior; midvein 5–10 mm wide at base beneath; western Ecuador........................................................................................... G. ecuadorica