Licania kunthiana 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 : 30

7.6. Licania kunthiana Hook.f. , Fl. bras . 14(2): 16. 1867. Fig. 10

Tree, up 6–20 m tall, DBH 24–30 cm, stem 10–13 m tall, cylindric, rough bark; young branches pubescent, becoming glabrous with age, lenticellate. Leaves elliptic, 4.5–8.5 × 2–3.7 cm, chartaceous, discolorous, base cuneate to obtuse, apex acuminate, acumen 3–7 mm long, glabrous adaxially, pubescent abaxially, stomatal crypts conspicuous to inconspicuous, midrib impressed adaxially, prominent abaxially, primary veins 7–9 pairs; petiole 4–6 mm long, pubescent, slightly canaliculate, eglandular; stipules 2, linear, persistent, 2–4 mm long, pubescent to glabrous, chartaceous. Inflorescence terminal to subterminal, racemose panicle, sparsely puberulous, bracts 1, triangular to lanceolate, 1–1.5 mm long, puberulous; bracteoles 3, triangular, ca. 0.5 mm long, pubescent. Flowers yellow, ca. 2 mm long, sessile, pubescent; receptacle campanulate, 1.5–2 mm long, pubescent; sepals triangular, 0.5–1 mm long, pubescent; stamens 5, inserted in a complete circle, free, filaments ca. 0.5 mm long, glabrous; ovary ca. 1 mm, sericeous; style 2 mm long, basal 3/4 pubescent. Drupe brown, globose, stipitate, 2.1–2.5 × 1.7–2 cm, epicarp smooth, puberulous.

Selected material examined: Aracruz, Coqueiral, 10.II.1993, fr., R.N. Oliveira 411 ( VIES). Cachoeiro de

Itapemirim, Flona Pacotuba, 14.V.2007, L.N. Moreira 20 ( VIES). GuaçuÍ, Floresta do Rosal , 28.VIII.2010 , fl., R.A. Curto 94 ( VIES). Linhares , Reserva Natural Vale, Colodete entre quadras de Eucalyptus, Estrada 163, 20.IX.1974 , fl., J. Spada 329 ( INPA, NY, RBR). Pinheiros , Rebio Córrego do Veado, estrada à esquerda da sede da reserva, 18.XII.2010 ,

fr., M.Ribeiro 399 ( RB, SAMES, VIES). Rio Bananal , Estrada Primavera, 24.VI.2016 , fr., D.A. Folli 7473 ( CVRD, RB). Santa Teresa , Estação Biológica de Santa Lúcia, 1.VI.1993 ,

L.D. Thomaz 1642 ( HUEFS, MBML, VIES). São Mateus, estrada para Barra Nova, brejo velho, sÍtio do seu Darcy, área de pasto, onde no passado predominava restinga,

29.X.2012, fr., M. Ribeiro 829 ( SAMES, VIES) .

Licania kunthiana is similar to L. hypoleuca (see comments under this species). It can be recognized by the combination of elliptic acuminate leaves, with stomatal crypts, primary veins 7–9 pairs, linear short stipules, slightly puberulous inflorescence, and flowers with five stamens, inserted in a complete circle. Collected with flowers in August to October and fruits in June and from October to

February. Licania kunthiana is a widespread species,

and occurs in Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Peru and Venezuela ( Prance & Sothers 2003a). In Brazil it occurs in different biomes such as the Amazon rainforest, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga and Cerrado , in all the states of Central West, North, Southeast regions, and some states of the Northeast region (Bahia, Maranhão, Pernambuco and Sergipe) ( Sothers & Prance 2023f). In EspÍrito Santo it occurs in Restinga, Ombrophilous forest and Mata de Tabuleiro, in Aracruz, Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, GuaçuÍ, Linhares, Pinheiros, Rio Bananal, Santa Teresa and São Mateus municipalities. It was collected in four protected areas: Estação Biológica de Santa Lúcia, Floresta Nacional Pacotuba, Reserva Biológica Córrego do Veado and Reserva Natural Vale. This species is not threatened at a regional or national level.

The common names for this species are milho-torrado (D.A. Folli 7473) and milho-torrado-miúdo (J. Spada 329).