Oxandra maya

Junikka, L., Maas, P. J. M., Maas-van de Kamer, H. & Westra, L. Y. Th., 2016, Revision of Oxandra (Annonaceae), Blumea 61 (3), pp. 215-266 : 243

14. Oxandra maya Miranda — Fig. 13b, 15; Map 4

Oxandra maya Miranda (1961) 120, f. 1. — Type: Miranda 8471/2 (holo MEXU; iso US), Mexico, Chiapas, Carretera La Arena (a Salas), c. 10 km NW of Santa Margarita, 12 Mar. 1957 .

Amyris belizensis Lundell (1941) 32,syn.nov. — Oxandra belizensis (Lundell) Lundell (1974a) 28. — Type: Gentle 1720 (holo LL), Belize, Belize District, Gracie Rock, Sibun River, 20 Aug. 1935.

Oxandra guatemalensis Lundell (1974a) 29, syn. nov. — Type: Contreras 5379 (holo LL; iso F, K, MO), Guatemala, Petén, El Ceibo, c. 4 km on El Repasto Road, on top of hill, 30 Mar. 1965.

Oxandra proctorii Lundell (1974b) 54,syn.nov. — Type: Proctor 30104 (holo LL; iso BM, MO), Belize, El Cayo, 2.2 miles SE of Holec Camp, Chiquibul Forest Reserve , 1600–1700 ft, 25 Apr. 1969.

Tree 5–30 m tall, 20–45 cm diam; young twigs sparsely covered with appressed hairs, soon glabrous. Leaves: petiole 1–3 mm long, 0.5–1 mm diam; lamina narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate, rhombic, or ovate, 5–12 by 1–4 cm (leaf index 2.7–4.4), chartaceous, rather densely verruculose below, shiny and greyish green above, greyish green to brown below, glabrous above, rather densely covered with appressed and erect hairs to glabrous below, base acute, apex long-acute to acuminate (acumen 5–10 mm long), primary vein flat, rarely raised above, secondary veins distinct, 6–10 on either side of primary vein, slightly raised above, angle of secondary veins with primary vein 45–65°, smallest distance between loops and margin 1–2 mm, tertiary veins slightly raised above, reticulate. Flowers in 1–4-flowered inflorescences; flowering and fruiting pedicels 3–5 mm long, c. 1 mm diam, sparsely covered with appressed hairs to glabrous; bracts 4–5, depressed ovate, c. 1 by 1.5 mm, outer side rather densely covered with appressed hairs; flowers bisexual or rarely male (plant androdioecious); flower buds globose; sepals shallowly ovate-triangular, c. 1 by 1.5–2 mm, outer side rather densely to sparsely covered with pressed hairs; petals white to cream in vivo, elliptic, c. 5 by 2–3 mm, outer side sparsely covered with appressed hairs to glabrous; stamens c. 10, 2.5–3 mm long, apex of connective narrowly triangular; carpels ≤ 9. Monocarps 2 – 6, green in vivo, black to brown in sicco, obovoid to ellipsoid, 10–12 by 6–10 mm, glabrous, apex rounded, wall 0.2–0.5 mm thick, stipes 1–3 by 1 mm. Seed ellipsoid, c. 10 by 5 mm, brown, surface transversely striate, ruminations spiniform or peg-shaped.

Distribution — Mexico (Chiapas), Guatemala, Belize.

Habitat & Ecology — In lowland, tall, tropical forest, on calcareous soil. At elevations of 0– 800 m. Flowering: March, August; fruiting: March to May, November.

Vernacular names — Guatemala:Nahuate ( Contreras 5379). Mexico: Nahuacté (Gomez-Pompa 306, Miranda 8471/2).

Field observations — Flowers aromatic ( Contreras 5379, Guatemala).

Note — Oxandra maya is recognizable by small leaves with a primary vein flat (or rarely) raised on the upper side, and a lower side which is distinctly verruculose. Flower buds are globose and the petals glabrous. It has pedicels to 5 mm long and shortly stipitate, small monocarps. It closely resembles O. lanceolata , but can be differentiated from that species by 1–4-flowered (vs 1-flowered) inflorescences, and slightly longer pedicels (3–5 vs 1–3 mm).