Trichilia reynelii T.D.Penn., 2016

Pennington, Terence D., 2016, Systematic Treatment Of American Trichilia (Meliaceae), Phytotaxa 259 (1), pp. 18-162 : 117-119

59. Trichilia reynelii T.D.Penn. spec. nov. (sect. Moschoxylum ). Type:— PERU. Junín, Prov. Satipo, Distrito Pangoa, Puerto Ocopa, fl., Reynel 280 (holotype, K, isotype, MOL). Plate 13 , Map 67

Trichiliae minimae affinis sed ramulis foliisque dense tomentosis vel villosis, floribus globosis, corolla dense pubescenti, staminum tubo barbato et ovarii loculis biovulatis differt.

Young shoots densely tomentose to villose, indumentum persistent, 7–8 mm diam, smooth, brown. Bud scales absent. Leaves pinnate, either with a terminal leaflet or with one of the ultimate pair orientated to simulate a terminal leaflet; petiole and rhachis 12–19 cm long, petiole and rhachis terete, densely villose to tomentose, petiolule 4–6 mm long. Leaflets alternate to subopposite, dimorphic, normal leaflets 5–7, plus 1 pair of reduced basal leaflets at the base of the petiole; normal leaflets (gradually increasing in size from base to apex) 17.6–25 cm long, 6.6–10 cm broad, elliptic to oblanceolate, apex shortly acuminate, base acute to narrowly acuminate, chartaceous, upper surface pubescent along midrib and secondary veins, lower surface tomentose on midrib and veins, sparser on the lamina; not glandular-punctate or -striate; basal reduced leaflets 3.7–5 cm long, 3.2–4 cm broad, broadly elliptic with a rounded apex to suborbicular, persistent; venation eucamptodromous, sometimes brochidodromous near the apex, midrib slightly sunken on the upper surface; secondaries 17–18 pairs, ascending, parallel, straight; intersecondaries absent; tertiaries few, oblique, with an obscure higher order reticulum. Inflorescence axillary, 30–50 cm long, a very lax-flowered panicle, the lower lateral, wide-spreading branches up to 10 cm long, ultimate branchlets cymose; pedicel ca. 1 mm long. Calyx ca. 0.75 mm long, ca. 1.5 mm broad, patelliform, with 5 shallow obtuse lobes, tomentose outside, glabrous inside. Corolla broadly ovoid to globose, petals 3, ca. 2.5 mm long, 1–1.5 mm broad, fused for about one third their length, valvate, ovate, acute, remaining erect, densely pubescent outside, glabrous inside. Staminal tube cup-shaped, filaments completely fused, ca. 1.25 mm long, margin with 7–8 short acute teeth alternating with the anthers and about one third their length, glabrous outside, coarsely pubescent inside; anthers 7–8, lanceolate, glabrous, dehiscent, containing pollen. Nectary absent. Ovary ca. 0.75 mm long, triangular, densely pubescent (probably a male flower), 3-locular, locules with 2 collateral ovules, style very short, style-head capitate. Fruit unknown.

MAP 67. Trichilia reynelii T.D.Penn. Total distribution to 2010.

Field Characters. Small tree to 10 m high. Flowering in November, flowers greenish-cream, without scent.

Distribution & Ecology. Collected in the transition zone between lowland evergreen rain forest and dry tropical deciduous forest at the eastern end of the Chanchamayo valley, Junín, Peru, 600–800 m elevation.

Collections Examined. PERU. Junín: Prov. Satipo, Distrito Pangoa, Puerto Ocopa (SW1174), Pennington & Daza 1926 (E, MOL), Reynel 280 (MOL, K), Pennington & Daza 18017 (E, K, MOL).

Local Names. Uchumullaca roja.

Relationships. This species is morphologically closest to T. minima from Acre, Brazil, but differs from it in the densely tomentose or villose indumentum of young shoots, leaf rhachis and inflorescence, larger leaflets, in the broadly ovoid or globose flower (not shortly tubular), densely pubescent petals, pubescent staminal tube and bi-ovulate ovary locules. It is also close to T. amapaensis , but the latter has a smaller, congested inflorescence with larger flowers.

Etymology. This species is named for Carlos Augusto Reynel Rodriguez, since the early 1980’s curator of the Forest Herbarium (MOL), Department of Forest Management, National Agrarian University, La Molina , Lima, Peru. Under his direction the La Molina herbarium has grown to be the most important herbarium of woody plants in Peru. As well as running the herbarium, teaching undergraduate courses in forest botany and supervising numerous Masters theses, Carlos has pursued his own monographic studies of Zanthoxylum ( Rutaceae ), and published widely on Peruvian forest ecology and inventory. He has been a constant help in facilitating field work for the many foreign visitors who work in Peru.

Figures

PLATE 13. Trichilia reynelii T.D.Penn.A, leaf; B, habit with inflorescence; C, whole flower; D, half flower; E, cross-section of ovary. (A, Reynel 280; B, Daza 5025; C–E, Pennington & Daza 18017).