Desmopsis lanceolata Lundell

Schatz, G. E., Maas, P. J. M., Kamer, H. Maas-van de, Westra, L. Y. T. & Wieringa, J. J., 2018, Revision of the Neotropical genus Desmopsis (Annonaceae), Blumea 63 (1), pp. 67-86 : 76-77

11. Desmopsis lanceolata Lundell — Map 6

Desmopsis lanceolata Lundell (1939) 85, t. 3. — Type: Matuda 2299 (holo MICH; iso A, CAS, F, K, LL, MEXU 2 sheets, MO, NY, US 2 sheets, WIS), Mexico, Chiapas, Mt Ovando , Dec. 1937.

Desmopsis guatemalensis Standl. & Steyerm. (1944) 156. — Type: Steyermark 34304 (holo F), Guatemala, Quezaltenango , Montaña Chicharro, lower southeastern slopes of Volcán de Santa María, 1500 m, 17 Jan. 1940.

Desmopsis izabalensis Standl.& Steyerm.(1944) 157. — Type: Steyermark 41543 (holo F; iso US), Guatemala, Izabal, on ridge top, along Río Frío, Cerro San Gil , 75–150 m, 18 Dec. 1941.

Shrub or tree 2.5–6 m tall, diam not recorded; young twigs and petiole densely covered with erect and appressed, golden brownish hairs. Leaves: petiole 2–8 mm long, c. 1 mm diam; lamina narrowly elliptic, 4–10 by 1–3.5 cm, chartaceous, shiny, sometimes the primary vein covered with some erect hairs to glabrous above, sparsely covered with appressed and erect hairs below, but primary vein densely so to glabrous, base acute, apex acute to obtuse, sometimes shortly acuminate (acumen to c. 5 mm long), the extreme tip rounded, primary vein impressed above, secondary veins 6–10 on either side of primary vein, raised to flat above, tertiary veins flat to slightly raised above, reticulate. Inflorescence and flower indument: pedicels and outer side of bracts and sepals densely to rather densely covered with erect and appressed hairs, outer side of petals rather densely covered with appressed hairs. Inflorescences 1- or 2-flowered, leaf-opposed; pedicels 15–20 by c. 1 mm diam, to c. 25 mm long and c. 1 mm diam in fruit; basal bract leafy, broadly ovate to circular, 12–20 by 8–15 mm, upper bract scale-like, broadly ovate-triangular, 1–2 mm long; sepals broadly ovate-triangular, 2–10 by 2–4 mm, reflexed; petals yellow, outer ones pale orange at the inner base, subequal, narrowly triangular, 10–20 by 2–4 mm. Monocarps 2–10(–15), orange to dull red, spherical to oblongoid-ellipsoid, 4–12 by 4–12 mm, sparsely covered with appressed hairs, soon glabrous, apex rounded, rarely constricted between the seeds upon drying, wall c. 0.5 mm thick, stipes 2–8 mm long, c. 1 mm diam. Seeds 1 or 2, in one row, subspherical or hemispherical, 6–9 by 4–7 mm, strongly grooved.

Distribution — Mexico (Chiapas, Oaxaca), Guatemala.

Habitat & Ecology — In evergreen and semi-evergreen tropical forest. At elevations of 75–2000 m. Flowering: November to January, March; fruiting: January, March, June, September.

Vernacular names — Not recorded.

Note — Desmopsis lanceolata is characterized by its small narrow leaves (4–10 by 1–3.5 cm), its small and often spherical, 1- or 2-seeded monocarps (4–11 by 4–10 mm), and a dense indument of erect and appressed hairs on the young twigs.

Figures

Map 6 Distribution of Desmopsis lanceolata Lundell (t), D. guerrerensis González-Martínez & Jiménez-Ramírez (▲), D. mexicana R.E.Fr. (■) and D. subnuda (R.E.Fr.) G.E.Schatz & Maas (●).