Vismia cayennensis (Jacquin) Persoon (1807: 86)

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 : 20

8.1 Vismia cayennensis (Jacquin) Persoon (1807: 86) ( Fig. 6E–G ).

Type:— FRENCH GUIANA. Not indicated by Jacquin, but undoubtedly from Cayenne.

= Hypericum cayennense Jacquin (1760: 28) .

Small trees up to 1.8 m. Exudate yellow. Lamina subcoriaceous, elliptical to oval, 5.9–9 × 3.4–5.1 cm, apex acuminate, base obtuse and rounded to acute, abaxial surface with several conspicuous dark glands; secondary veins prominent, conspicuous on both surfaces, 12–17 pairs, distant 3.8–5 mm; petiole 6.7–10.8 mm long. Inflorescence with 8–14 flowers. Flowers pedicellate. Sepals 6.7–9.2 × 3.4–4.4 mm, green and brown. Petals 8–9 × 3–4 mm wide, yellowishgreen, covered with cream colored trichomes adaxially, with linear orange-brown glands abaxially. Fascicles of stamens deciduous with petals, stamens numerous, filaments with white trichomes. Fruit oblong to cylindrical, 0.9–1.2 × 0.5–1.3 cm, sepals and style persistent. Seeds ca. 2 mm long, shiny.

Phenology:—Flowering and fruiting in July and December.

Distribution and habitat:— Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela. In Brazil, it occurs in the north region (states of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Pará and Roraima), and in northeast region (state of Maranhão). In VNP, it grows in white-sand vegetation.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Roraima: Caracaraí, Viruá National Park, elevation 65 m, 1º28’22’’N, 60º58’10’’W, 1 December 2009, fl., fr., Cabral et al. 77 (INPA).

Additional specimens:— BRAZIL. Amazonas : Manaus , Reserva Florestal Ducke, Estrada Manaus-Itacoatiara, km 26, 02º53’S, 59º58’W, 12 July 1994, fl., Hopkins et al. 1465 ( INPA) ; Ibid., 02º53’S, 59º58’W, 19 July 1994, fr., Ribeiro et al. 1341 ( INPA) .

Taxonomic notes:— Vismia cayennensis is an easily recognizable species as it is the only Vismia species in the VNP with both surfaces of the leaf lamina completely glabrous.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Tovomita spruceana (A. Habit; B. Mature fruit), Tovomita umbellata (C. Habit; D. Flower) and Vismia cayennensis (E. Habit; F. Flower; G. Fruit).