Trichilia trifolia

Pennington, Terence D., 2016, Systematic Treatment Of American Trichilia (Meliaceae), Phytotaxa 259 (1), pp. 18-162 : 50

9. Trichilia trifolia L., Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 2: 1020 (1759); T. D.Penn., Fl. Neotrop. 28: 105 (1981). Type:— VENEZUELA. Sucre, Cumana, fl., Humboldt & Bonpland s.n. (neotype, P-Bonpl. designated FN 28: 106 (1981)). Maps 12–14

Abbreviated Description. Indumentum of simple hairs, new growth subtended by a cluster of bud scales, leaves trifoliolate or unifoliolate, leaflets 1.6–11.5 cm long, 0.6–5.5 cm broad, terminal leaflet often larger, usually broadly elliptic, or oblanceolate or obovate, glabrous except for tufts of hair in the axils of the secondary veins below, inflorescence axillary or clustered on short shoots, 0.5–2(–5.5) cm long, usually a small cymose fascicle, calyx thick, fleshy, petals (4–)5, fleshy, (2.5–)3(–4) mm long, free, imbricate, filaments fused for one third to two thirds of their length, anthers (9–)10, nectary patelliform or cyathiform, ovary 3-locular, locules 1-ovulate, fruit 0.5–0.8 cm long, (2–)3-valved, globose, seeds usually 3, completely surrounded by thin arillode.

Key to the subspecies of Trichilia trifolia .

1. Petiolule of lateral leaflets 0–1.5(–2) mm long, leaves usually trifoliolate, less frequently unifoliolate, mean length of lateral leaflets 3.2 cm, apex of lateral leaflets usually emarginate, truncate or rounded, leaflets often coriaceous, nearly always glabrous below, midrib flat or slightly sunken, inflorescence 0.5–1.5 cm long, usually clustered at apex of short lateral shoots in axils of scale leaves, petals 3–4 mm long, staminal tube 2–3 mm long, nectary patelliform or cyathiform, conspicuous, ovary usually pubescent or strigose, rarely glabrous .........................................................................................................................................a. subsp. trifolia

-. Petiolule of lateral leaflets (2–)3–4(–7) mm long, leaves trifoliolate, mean length of lateral leafles 6.4 cm, apex of lateral leaflets acute, acuminate or attenuate, leaflets chartaceous, shortly pubescent on midrib and veins below, midrib prominent, inflorescence 1–5.5 cm long, usually axillary and solitary, not clustered at apex of short lateral shoots, petals 3–4 mm long, staminal tube 2–3 mm long, nectary patelliform or cyathiform, conspicuous, ovary glabrous............................................................ b. subsp. palmeri .

-. Petiolule of lateral leaflets 1–2 mm long, leaves trifoliolate, mean length of lateral leaflets 8.1 cm, apex of lateral leaflets narrowly attenuate, leaflets chartaceous, sparsely puberulous below, midrib flat or prominent, inflorescence 2–6 cm long, solitary, axillary, not clustered at apex of short lateral shoots, petals 2–2.5 mm long, staminal tube ca. 1.5 mm long, nectary minute, patelliform or absent, ovary, glabrous ......................................................................................................................................c. subsp. pteleaefolia .