Oxandra laurifolia (Sw.) A.Rich.

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 : 233-235

9. Oxandra laurifolia (Sw.) A.Rich. — Fig. 4e–g , 9; Map 5

Oxandra laurifolia (Sw.) A.Rich. (1841) 20,t. 8. — Uvaria laurifolia Sw.(1800) 1001. — Guatteria laurifolia (Sw.) Dunal (1817) 132,t. 32. — Bocagea laurifolia (Sw.) Benth. & Hook.f. (1862) 29. — Cananga laurifolia (Sw.) A.DC. ex Baill. (1868b) 168. — Type: Swartz s.n. (holo S; iso BM), Jamaica.

Uvaria excelsa Vahl ex Dunal (1817) 132, nom. nud.

Cananga pseudolancea Poit. ex Dunal (1817) 132, nom. nud.

Uvaria dodecandra Sessé & Moç. (1894) 133. — Type: not seen ‘ Habitat in montibus de Puerto Rico et Cuba’.

Anaxagorea acuminata auct. non (Dunal) A.DC.: Bello (1881) 234.

Tree 6–20 m tall, 10–35 cm diam; young twigs rather densely covered with appressed hairs, soon glabrous. Leaves: petiole 2–4 mm long, 1–2 mm diam; lamina narrowly oblong-elliptic to narrowly obovate, 7–17 by 2–6 cm (leaf 2.5–3.4), chartaceous, not verruculose or sparsely verruculose below, dull or sometimes shiny and greyish green above, greyish to brown below, glabrous above, sparsely covered with appressed hairs (sometimes> 1 mm long) below, base acute to obtuse, apex acuminate (acumen 5–20 mm long), primary vein flat above, secondary veins distinct, 10–13 on either side of primary vein, raised above, angle of secondary veins with primary vein 45–80°, smallest distance between loops and margin 1–2 mm, tertiary veins flat above, reticulate. Flowers in 1–4(–10)-flow- ered inflorescences; pedicels 2–5 mm long, 0.5–1 mm diam, fruiting pedicels to c. 7 mm long, c. 2 mm diam, glabrous; bracts 4–5, depressed ovate, 1–1.5 mm long, outer side densely to rather densely covered with appressed, brown hairs; flower

Map 5 Distribution of Oxandra laurifolia .

Fig. 10 Oxandra leucodermis (Spruce ex Benth.) Warm. Fruiting twig ( Cid et al. 7302, U).

buds ellipsoid; sepals broadly to shallowly ovate-triangular, 1–2 by 1.5–2 mm, outer side glabrous, rarely sparsely covered with appressed, brown hairs; petals white to yellow in vivo, ovate to elliptic, 7–8 by 2–4 mm, outer side glabrous; stamens 10–18, 2.5–3 mm long, apex of connective narrowly triangular; carpels ≤ 8. Monocarps 2–7, greenish yellow, yellow to dark maroon red in vivo, black in sicco, ellipsoid, 12–17 by 8–10 mm, glabrous, apex apiculate (apiculum 0.2–1 mm long), wall 0.3–0.7 mm thick, stipes 3–8 by 1–1.5 mm. Seed ellipsoid, 12–15 by 7–9 mm, dark brown, surface transversely striate, ruminations spiniform.

Distribution — Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Croix.

Habitat & Ecology — In humid, montane forest, lowland forest, and gallery forest, on limestone, calcareous soils, or red sandy soils. At elevations of 0–1300 m. Flowering: February, April to June, August, November; fruiting: all year through.

Vernacular names — Cuba: Purio (De la Sagra 623, Ekman 1902, 2743, 4308, 5924, 6051, 18460, Luna 20). Dominican Republic: Lancewood (Von Eggers 2449), Yaiya ( Zanoni et al. 34150), Yaya (Eggers 2449, Zanoni et al. 38122, Zanoni & Pimentel 35994), Yaya boba (Scarff 11F), Yaya bobo (Schiffino 109), Yaya prieta ( Jiménez et al. 1480). Guadeloupe: Bois de l’an (Duss 3058). Puerto Rico: Corcho blanco ( Little 13754). St. Kitts and Nevis: Okra (Beard 460).

Field observations — Fleurs parfumées (Duss 3058, Guadeloupe); fruit with watery maroon red juice ( Zanoni et al. 13443, Dominican Republic); Según los campesinos las aves se comen los frutos ( Zanoni & Pimentel 35994, Dominican Republic).

Note — Oxandra laurifolia is one of the two species of Oxandra occurring in the West Indies, but in contrast to O. lanceolata this species also occurs in the Lesser Antilles. For the differences between both species see under O. lanceolata .

Figures

Fig. 4 a. Oxandra aberrans Maas & Junikka. Detail of flowering branch. — b. Oxandra guianensis R.E.Fr. Detail of fruit. — c. Oxandra krukoffii R.E.Fr. Detail of fruit. — d. Oxandra lanceolata (Sw.) Baill. Detail of flowers. — e–g. Oxandra laurifolia (Sw.) A.Rich. e. Detail of flowers; f. several-flowered inflorescence; g. fruits — h. Oxandra leucodermis (Spruce ex Benth.) Warm. Detail of fruit (a: Kennedy & Breedlove 1422, holo U; b: Hoffman et al. 1463, U; c: Prance et al. 25831, U; d: Proctor 36333, MO; e: Sintenis 4313, U; f: Wright 4, U; g: Zanoni et al. 33142, U; h: Cid et al. 7302, U).