Licania nitida Hook.f.

Barros, Natália, Menezes, Luis Fernando Tavares de, Sothers, Cynthia & Peixoto, Ariane Luna, 2025, Flora of Espírito Santo: Chrysobalanaceae, Rodriguesia (e 00872024) 76, pp. 1-39 : 32

7.10. Licania nitida Hook.f. , Fl. bras . 14(2): 17. 1867. Fig. 11

Tree up to 6 m tall; young branches glabrescent, becoming glabrous with age, lenticellate. Leaves elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 4.8–6.3 × 2–3.6 cm, chartaceous, discolorous, base cuneate to obtuse, apex acute, glabrous adaxially, pubescent to tomentulose abaxially, without stomatal crypts, midrib impressed adaxially, prominent abaxially, glabrous on both sides, primary veins 6–7 pairs; petiole 3–4 mm long, glabrous, terete, eglandular; stipules 2, lanceolate, 3–5 mm long, glabrous, persistent. Inflorescence terminal to axillary, racemose panicle, pubescent; bracts 2, lanceolate, ca. 2 mm long, pubescent, caducous; bracteoles 3, triangular, ca. 1 mm long, pubescent, persistent. Flowers 2–2.5 mm long, pubescent, receptacle campanulate, ca. 1.5 mm long, tomentulose on the inside, pedicel ca. 0.5 mm long; sepals triangular, ca. 1 mm long, puberulous on both sides; stamens 3, inserted unilaterally, free; filaments ca. 0.2 mm long, glabrous; ovary ca. 1 mm long, villous, style ca. 3 mm long, pubescent at 3/4 basal. Drupe brown, ellipsoid, stipitate, 2.1–2.2 × 1.2–1.4 mm, epicarp rugose, glabrescent.

Material examined: Itapemirim , Praia do Pontal, 22.I.1984, fr., D. Araujo 5974 ( MBM, VIES). Piúma, ca. 3 km S do Morro do Aghá, na rodovia ES-060, 8.XII.1994, fr., J.R. Pirani 3496 ( MO, NY, SPF) .

Additional material: BRAZIL. RIO DE JANEIRO: Horto Florestal , XI.1926, fl., H. Almeida ( RB136931 ) .

Licania nitida can be distinguished from other Licania species by its elliptic to oblong-elliptic leaves with acute apex, without stomatal crypts in the abaxial surface, and flowers with 3 stamens. Collected with fruits in January and December.

Licania nitida occurs in Bahia, EspÍrito Santo,

Goiás, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo states ( Sothers & Prance 2023f). In EspÍrito Santo, it occurs in Restinga and Mata de Tabuleiro , in

Itapemirim and Piúma municipalities. Although L. nitida is assessed as “Least Concern” ( LC) for Brazil ( León 2020), in EspÍrito Santo this species is present in only two municipalities, none inside protected, which may indicate a higher threat level .