Guatteria beniensis Maas & Westra, 2015

Maas, P. J. M., Westra, L. Y. T., Guerrero, S. Arias, Lobão, A. Q., Scharf, U., Zamora, N. A. & Erkens, R. H. J., 2015, Confronting a morphological nightmare: revision of the Neotropical genus Guatteria (Annonaceae), Blumea 60 (1), pp. 1-219 : 43

21. Guatteria beniensis Maas & Westra , sp. nov. — Fig. 13g , 19 ; Map 6

Ramulis glabris foliis nitidis costa in facie adaxiali elevata (nec impressa) et pedicellis pro ratione longis monocarpiis breviter stipitatis distincta. — Typus: Nee 34593 (holo NY 2 sheets), Bolivia, Beni, Prov. Itenez, S side of Río Guapore, ‘ Campo Verde’ , c. 15 km ESE of Costa Marques (the Brazilian state of Rondônia), 150 m, 31 Mar. 1987 .

Shrub 1.5 m tall, diam not recorded; young twigs glabrous, but new growth densely covered with erect, brown hairs to c. 1.5 mm long. Leaves: petiole 3–5 mm long, c. 1 mm diam; lamina narrowly oblong-elliptic, 8–10 by 2.5–3 cm (leaf index 2.6–4), coriaceous, not verruculose, shiny, greyish brown above, pale brown below, glabrous above and below, but very young leaves densely covered with erect to appressed, brown hairs to c. 1 mm long on both sides, base acute to obtuse, apex bluntly acute, primary vein slightly raised above, secondary veins distinct, 10–12 on either side of primary vein, slightly raised above, smallest distance between loops and margin 1–2 mm, tertiary veins slightly raised above, reticulate. Flowers only seen in fruiting stage, solitary, in axils of leaves; fruiting pedicels c. 40 mm long, 1 mm diam, glabrous or covered with some scattered erect and appressed hairs, articulated at 0.2–0.3 from the base, bracts 4–5 (?), soon falling, not seen. Monocarps (young ones) c. 50, colour in vivo not recorded, black in sicco, ellipsoid, 5–6 by 2 mm, rather densely covered with appressed and erect, brown hairs, apex pointed, stipes c. 2 by 1 mm. Seed not seen.

Distribution — Bolivia (Beni).

Habitat & Ecology — In very flat natural, grazed savanna with scattered shrubs and short, tortuous trees, with evidence of fires, and with large termite mounds, on black, silty soil. At an elevation of c. 150 m. Flowering: unknown; fruiting: March.

Vernacular names — Not recorded.

Note — Occurring in wet savannas in the Bolivian state of Beni, G. beniensis is recognizable by shiny leaves in which the primary vein is raised on the upper side, by relatively long pedicels (c. 40 mm long) and shortly stipitate monocarps. The leaves and young twigs are completely glabrous, but in a very young stage they are covered by a very dense indument of brown hairs.

Figures

Fig. 13 a. Guatteria amapaensis Maas & Westra. Fruit. – b. Guatteria antioquensis Maas & Westra.Fruit. – c. Guatteria atabapensis Aristeg. ex D.M.Johnson & N.A.Murray. Fruiting branch, detail. – d. Guatteria auyantepuiensis Maas & Westra. Detail of flower. – e, f. Guatteria beckii Maas & Westra. e. Flower; f. fruit. – g. Guatteria beniensis Maas & Westra. Young fruit, also note densely erect hairy juvenile parts in upper left. – h. Guatteria blainii (Griseb.) Urb. Detail of flower (a: Daly et al. 4028, U; b: E. Correa et al. 93, U; c: Wurdack & Adderley 42759, isotype US; d: F. Cardona 2619, holotype US; e, f: Beck & Haase 9895, holotype U; g: Nee 34593, holotype NY; h: Ekman 5920, S).

Fig. 19 Guatteria beniensis Maas & Westra. Fruiting branch (Nee 34593, holotype NY).