Caraipa savannarum Kubitzki (1978: 104)

Cabral, Fernanda Nunes, Bittrich, Volker & Hopkins, Michael John Gilbert, 2017, Clusiaceae s. l. (Calophyllaceae, Clusiaceae s. s. and Hypericaceae) in the Viruá National Park, Roraima, Brazil, Phytotaxa 329 (1), pp. 1-27 : 7

2.2 Caraipa savannarum Kubitzki (1978: 104) ( Fig. 2G–H )

Type:— BRAZIL. Amazonas: Rio Curicuriary affl. Rio Negro, 23 November 1936, fr., Ducke RB 35414 (holotype: M, barcode 0112098, isotype: NY, barcode 00067011).

Trees or treelets up to 3 m. Exudate sticky and translucid. Leaves spirally-alternate; leaf blade 3.3–6.4(–7.7) × (1.6–) 2.1–4.8(–5.8) cm, chartaceous, ovate or orbicular, apex rounded or acuminate, base acute or obtuse, both surfaces glabrous, without bulliform cells; secondary veins 5–12 pairs, distant 3–7.4 mm; petiole 3.2–6.1 mm long. Panicule, 2–6-flowered, peduncle and pedicels pubescent, pedicel 1–6 mm long. Sepal lobes ca. 1.2 × 1.3 mm. Petals 5.3–6.3 × 2.2–4.5 mm. Stamens 2–6 mm long, gland between the thecae. Ovary ca. 1.5 mm across, style 1.5–2.0 mm long. Fruit 0.8–1.1 × 0.8–1.1 cm, pyramidal to ovoid, asymmetrical, minutely rugulose, with sparse sessile stellate hairs or glabrous, exocarp separating from endocarp. Seeds 7–8 mm long.

Phenology:—Flowering September to January; fruiting September to April.

Distribution and habitat:— Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. In Brazil, it occurs in the north region (states of Amazonas, Rondônia and Roraima). In VNP, it was found growing on white-sand vegetation.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Roraima: Caracaraí, Viruá National Park , elevation 56 m, 1º16’20’’N, 60º58’10’’W, 25 November 2009, fr., Cabral et al. 17 ( INPA) ; Ibid. , elevation 57 m, 1º21’34’’N, 61º13’57’’W, 22 January 2010, fr., Cabral et al. 164 ( INPA) ; Ibid. , elevation 62 m, 1º30’32’’N, 61º37’48’’W, 23 January 2010, fl., Cabral et al. 178 ( INPA) ; Ibid. , 16 September 2010, fr., Cabral et al. 285 ( INPA) ; Ibid. , 22 October 2010, fl., Cabral et al. 313 ( INPA) ; Ibid. , 25 October 2010, fr., Cabral et al. 331 ( INPA) ; Ibid. , elevation 55 m, 1 o 26’28”N, 60 o 58’45”W, 31 January 2010, fl., Dávila et al. 6025 ( INPA) ; Ibid. , elevation 57 m, 1 o 14’49”N, 60 o 57’59”W, 4 March 2010, fr., Dávila et al. 6106 ( INPA) .

Additional specimens:— BRAZIL. Amazonas : Bacia do Rio Negro, 8 November 1971, fr., Prance et al. 16211 ( INPA) ; Rio Univini , 23 April 1974, fr., Pires et al. 14159 ( INPA). Pará: Região dos Tiriós, Rio Paru do Oeste, 17 March 1962, fr., Fittkau et al. 39 ( INPA) .

Taxonomic notes:— Caraipa savannarum can be distinguished by its spiral, glabrous, ovate or orbicular leaves, and its small fruits, which are sparsely covered with sessile stellate hairs, with concave valves and usually with longitudinal black lines on the surface.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Calophyllum brasiliense (A. Habit; B. Flower; C. Fruit), Caraipa caespitosa (D. Habit; E. Flower; F. Fruit) and Caraipa savannarum (G. Flower; H. Fruit).