Guatteria kamakusensis Maas & Westra, 2019

Maas, Paul J. M., Westra, Lubbert Y. Th., Chatrou, Lars W., Verspagen, Nadja, Rainer, Heimo, Zamora, Nelson A. & Erkens, Roy H. J., 2019, Twelve new and exciting Annonaceae from the Neotropics, PhytoKeys 126, pp. 25-69 : 34

Guatteria kamakusensis Maas & Westra sp. nov. Fig. 11

Diagnosis.

Guatteria kamakusensis resembles G. schomburgkiana Mart. by solitary, short-pedicellate flowers in axils of leaves but differs by the connective shield of the stamens which are papillate vs. densely hairy in G. schomburgkiana .

Type.

GUYANA, Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region, 2nd and 3rd escarpments of Kamakusa Mt. , 5°52'55.2"N, 60°6'34.5"W, 1330 m, 8 Jun 2012, K.J. Wurdack et al. 5874 (holotype: U!; isotypes US!).

Description.

Tree to 10 m tall; young twigs densely to rather densely covered with appressed, whitish hairs to ca. 0.5 mm long, soon glabrous. Leaves: petioles 10-15 by 1.5-2.5 mm; lamina elliptic, 12-17 by 4.5-7 cm (leaf index 2.5-2.7), thinly coriaceous, smooth, slightly shiny above and below in sicco, greyish brown above in sicco, pale brown below in sicco, sparsely covered with appressed hairs to glabrous above, rather densely (primary vein) to sparsely covered with appressed, whitish hairs below, base acute, extreme base shortly attenuate, apex acuminate (acumen 10-15 mm long), primary vein impressed above, secondary veins distinct, 10-12 on either side of primary vein, slightly raised above, loop-forming in part, shortest distance between loops and margin 2-3 mm, tertiary veins mostly reticulate, slightly raised above. Flowers solitary in axils of leaves; pedicels 5-7 by 1.5-2.5 mm, densely covered with appressed hairs, articulated at 0.5-0.6 from the base; bracts 4-5, soon fallling, basal ones 1-1.5 mm long, the two uppermost elliptic, ca. 5 mm long; flower buds very broadly ovoid, apiculate; sepals basally connate to free, broadly triangular-ovate, 3-5 by 5-6 mm, outer side densely covered with appressed hairs; petals [as “calyces”] green in vivo, elliptic, ca. 10 by 5 mm, outer side densely covered with appressed hairs; stamens 80-100, yellow in vivo, ca. 1.5 mm long, connective shield densely covered with papillae and with few minute erect hairs; carpels 30-40, stigmas green in vivo. Monocarps and seeds not seen.

Distribution.

Guyana, only known from the type collection (Fig. 3 ).

Habitat and ecology.

In rich rain forest with Licania , Ebenaceae , tree ferns, and palms. At an elevation of ca. 1330 m. Flowering: June; fruiting: unknown.

Notes.

Guatteria kamakusensis was found at a fairly high elevation as compared to most of the Guatteria species in the Guianas, in a poorly collected area. It is similar to G. schomburgkiana Mart. in leaf shape and the short-pedicellate flowers, but the connective shield is papillate with few intermixed hairs, vs. a densely hairy connective shield in G. schomburgkiana . Its place remains unclear though, especially because the fruits are still lacking, and requires further research.

Preliminary IUCN conservation status.

DD. This species is only known from one locality in a poorly collected area and the current population size and population trend of this species are unknown. There seem to be no immediate threats to this species in terms of habitat loss. However, since no AOO and EOO could be determined or any other assessment criterium could be used, this species was assessed as Data Deficient.

Figures

Figure 3. Distribution map of Annona caput-medusae, A. oleifolia, Guatteria attenuata, G. kamakusensis, G. pseudoferruginea, Klarobelia rocioae, and Xylopia longicaudata.

Figure 11. Guatteria kamakusensis Maas & Westra. Flowering branch (Wurdack et al. 5874, holotype U).