33. Myrcia tomentosa (Aubl.) De Candolle (1828: 245) .

Basionym:— Eugenia tomentosa Aublet (1775: 504) .

Type:— FRENCH GUIANA. “ Habitat ad ripam fluvii Sinemariensis tribus milliaribus à maris littore ”, 1775, Aublet s.n. (holotype: BM [000953642]) .

Trees 1.5– 8 m. Twigs glabrous or densely pubescent, the indumentum yellowish. Leaves with petioles 8–17 mm long, densely pubescent, unchanneled; blades elliptic to broadly so, lanceolate or oblong, 6.8–10.1 × 3–4.1 cm, glabrescent or sparsely pubescent adaxially and densely pubescent abaxially, the indumentum yellowish, membranaceous or chartaceous, discolorous; glands inconspicuous; base cuneate or attenuate; apex acute, rarely acuminate; midvein adaxially impressed; lateral veins visible and prominent abaxially, arched, 6 to 10 pairs; intra-marginal vein absent, margin flat. Inflorescence terminal or subterminal, pyramidal panicle, flowers congested, the axis 4.7–10 cm long, densely pubescent, the indumentum yellowish, the first branching 0.7–1.1 cm long; bracts lanceolate, 5 × 5 mm, pubescent, caducous after anthesis; pedicels absent; bracteoles linear 0.2 × 0.2 mm, pubescent, caducous after anthesis; flower buds ovate, 2–2.5 × 1.5 mm, constricted above ovary; calyx-lobes free, five, pubescent, ovate or triangular, 0.5 × 0.5 mm, reflexed; ovary 2-locular. Immature fruit globose, 0.3 × 0.4 cm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, surface with glands marked.

Note:— Myrcia tomentosa may be recognized by its midvein, which is abaxially densely pubescent and an adaxially impressed; the arched lateral veins; and the densely pubescent panicle with ovate flower buds. This species is morphologically related to M. selloi, from which it is distinguished by its discolorous leaves, which are glabrescent or sparsely pubescent adaxially and densely pubescent abaxially (vs. glabrescent and concolorous); the unchanneled petiole (vs. channeled); the sessile flowers (vs. pedicelate); and the pubescent calyx-lobes (vs. glabrous).

Distribution and habitat:— Known from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panamá, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago and Venezuela and widely distributed in Brazil (POWO 2020, Flora do Brasil 2020). In Amazonian Maranhão, M. tomentosa was found growing in secondary forest.

Phenology:— Flowering in February and November.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Maranhão: São José de Ribamar, Sítio Aguagy, 2°38’47” S, 44°09’05” W, 02 February 2018 (fl.), G.S. Amorim 434 (MAR!) . São Luís, Alumar, 2°41’30” S, 44°19’44” W, 13 November 1995 (fl.), K.B. Ferreira & E. C. Girnos s.n (MAR!) .

Additional specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Amazonas: Southern ridge of Pico Rondon, perimetral norte highway km 211, 700 m, 1°31’48” N, 62°48’ W, 03 February 1984 (fr.), G.T. Prance 28776 (NY!). Maranhão: Estreito, Margem direita do rio Tocantins (área de mata úmida próximo à sua foz), 06 December 2008 (fr.), G.P. Silva 13888 (CEN, image) .