Salacia amplectens
Content
Description
Liana, stems fluted; branches densely lenticellate, somewhat waxy; opposite or alternate, at various angles from the stem. Petiole rugose, 7-10 mm long; blades thin-coriaceous, drying brown, glossy above, narrowly elliptic or oblong, 7-13 x 2-5 cm, margins entire, slightly revolute, apex cuspidatewith an obtuse acumen to 1.5 cm long, base rounded to attenuate, often decurrent into the petiole; primary vein prominulous above, prominent beneath, secondary veins 6-9 per side, arcuately ascending, anastomosing, flattened to impressed above, inconspicuous beneath, tertiary veins reticulate, inconspicuous. Inflorescence dichotomously branched, axillary or ramiflorous, densely ferruginous-pubescent; bracts deltoid, somewhat denticulate, less than 1 mm long; pedicels 1-3 mm long. Flowers 3-4 mm diam.; sepals fleshy, deltoid-ovate, 1-1.3 x 1.5-2 mm, slightly erosulous, strongly puberulous outside, glabrous within; petals green, fleshy, oblong, 2-2.3 x 1-1.5 mm, puberulous on both sides; disk fleshywith a conical upper part, 0.5 mm high, and a thin, upturned basal ring; stamens strongly reflexed, anthers transversely oblong, dehiscing by oblique, confluent clefts; ovary depressed-conical, ovules 2 per locule, collateral, style terminated by a minute stigmatic shield. Fruits ellipsoid or obliquely subglobose, maturing orange or yellow, dull (Fanshawe 3367), pericarp coriaceous, rugulose, 3-4 mm thick; seeds oblong or angled, 3 x 2 x 1.3 mm, pale brown, imbedded in creamish, mucilaginous pulp.
Distribution
Brazilian Amazon present, Guianas present present, Southern America: Venezuela (Venezuela present)
Venezuela, the Guianas and Brazilian Amazon along the R. Purus; 12 collections studied, 7 from the Guianas (GU: 5; SU: 1; FG: 1).