Tovomita saulensis J. Engel & Molino

Marinho, Lucas Cardoso, Fiaschi, Pedro & Amorim, André Márcio, 2025, Taxonomic revision of the neotropical genus Tovomita (Clusiaceae), Willdenowia 55 (1), pp. 145-258 : 225-226

49. Tovomita saulensis J. Engel & Molino in Adansonia, ser. 3, 44: 170. 2022 . – Holotype: French Guiana, Saül and vicinity: Route de Bélizon , 0–2 km S of Eaux Claires, 03°37'N, 53°12'W, 230–300 m, 22 Sep 1994, S. A. Mori & al. 24002 (CAY [ CAY167624 ] photo!; isotypes: P [ P04897763 ]!, NY [ NY04204154 ]!, U [ U0181523 ] photo!, US [ US 00872988] photo!).

Description — Trees up to 12 m tall, prop roots inconspicuous or absent; exudate yellowish, scarce. Petioles 0.4–1.2 cm long, green, smooth, lenticels absent. Leaf blades 4.3–7.5(–9) × 1.2–3.2 cm, generally copper-coloured in sicco, black dots absent, chartaceous, elliptic, base convex to cuneate, apex acuminate; papillae, lenticels and fungal spots absent; exudate canals inconspicuous. Venation: secondary veins 6–10 pairs, 6–10 mm apart from each other, forming angle 60°–70° to midvein, slightly prominent in both surfaces, arcuate and connecting near margin; intersecondary veins present, one or two per intercostal area, much thinner than secondary veins, distal course basiflexed, c. 50 % of subjacent secondary length; tertiary veins percurrent, perpendicular; intramarginal vein absent. Inflorescences: ♂ lax cyme with 5 basal branches and up to 20 flowers, lacking terminal flow- er, ♀ not seen. Pedicels 2–5 mm long, green, distal and proximal portion with same gauge, proximally articulat- ed on lateral flowers of dichasia; calyptrae and lenticels absent. Floral buds 3–6 mm long, oblong, apex mucronulate, lenticels absent. Sepals 2, 5 × 1–2 mm, oblong to ovate, apex mucronulate to acuminate, green; petals 4, 3–4 × 1–2 mm, linear to oblong, outer ones reflexed, inner ones patent, apex acuminate, green. Staminate flowers: stamens 9–15, 2–3 mm long, isodynamous; filaments terete, white; anthers c. 0.5 mm long, yellowish-white, connective not exceeding thecae; pistillode c. 0.5 mm high, white, stigmas 4, amorphous. Pistillate flowers not seen. Capsules fleshy, c. 2.5 × 1 cm (immature), 4-septate, pyriform to orbicular when closed, rostrum present, c. 1.2 mm long, epicarp smooth, green when immature, mesocarp coloration not seen; sepals, staminodes and stigmas persistent. Aril coloration not seen. Fig. 71.

Distribution — Saül ( French Guiana). Fig. 72.

Conservation status — Data Deficient (DD, Engel & al. 2022).

Recognition and discussion — Tovomita saulensis shares with T. mangle the oblong flower buds with a mucronulate apex ( Fig. 71E). However, the flowers of T. saulensis are much smaller and bear fewer stamens (9–15 vs 35–45 stamens in T. mangle ).

Specimens examined — FRENCH GUIANA: SAÜL: La Fumée Ouest , 03°37'N, 53°12'W, 200–400 m, sterile, 4 Apr 1983 , S. A. Mori & J. J. Pipoly 15505 ( NY!, P!); ibid., 26 Apr 1983 , S. A. Mori & J. J. Pipoly 15551 ( P!), ibid ., S. A. Mori & al. 15674 ( NY!); along botany trail northeast of Les Eaux Claires , 04°42'N, 52°25'W, 270 m, fl. ♂, 24 Sep 1995, Phillippe & al. 26984 ( CAY photo!) .