Heisteria scandens
Content
Description
Liana, sometimes (sub)scandent shrub, to 18 m tall, with slender flexuous branches. Branchlets very slender, subterete, slightly striate lengthwise, not rugulose. Petioles slender, deflexed, 7-13 x 1 mm; blades thinly to firmly chartaceous, shiny above, ovate to ovate-elliptic, sometimes almost lanceolate-ovate, (4-)6-10(-13) x (2.5-)3-5(-6.5) cm, apex acuminate, tip subacute or obtuse, base broadly cuneate to obtuse or rounded, rarely subcordate, primary vein flattened or slightly impressed above, prominent beneath, secondary veins 1 (or rarely 2) basal pair(s), curved-ascending to almost half the length of the blade, and 3-4(-5) upper short pairs, curved-ascending, slightly prominent beneath. Fascicles of 8-20 (rarely 50) flowers from axillary small multibracteolate cushions; pedicels slender, often almost filiform, (3-)6-8 mm long. Calyx minute, 1 mm long, 5-lobed halfway, lobes acuminate, each lobe with a minute apical fuscous gland; petals 5, ovate-lanceolate, acute, laxly hairy or subglabrous inside, (1.5-)2(-2.5) mm long, ca. 1 mm broad at base; stamens 10, unequal in length, filaments liguliform; ovary conical, its base thickened and 10-sulcate. Drupe (sub)globose or obovoid, slightly 10-sulcate, 9-12 mm diam., shiny, finally bright orange or cherry red; fruit-calyx green, very shallowly lobed, strongly reflexed, (8-)12-14 mm diam. when expanded; peduncle in fruit 12-15(-20) mm long.
Distribution
Amazonian Colombia present, Guianas present present present, Southern America: Bolivia (Bolivia present); Costa Rica (Costa Rica present); Ecuador (Ecuador present); Panamá (Panamá present); Peru (Peru present)
Costa Rica and Panama, widespread in Amazonian Colombia, the Guianas, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and Bolivia; rare in the Guianas; 87 collections studied, 13 from the Guianas (GU: 1; SU: 7; FG: 5).