Leptobalanus turbinatus (Benth.) Sothers & Prance, Kew Bull.

Barros, Natália, Menezes, Luis Fernando Tavares de, Sothers, Cynthia & Peixoto, Ariane Luna, 2025, Flora of Espírito Santo: Chrysobalanaceae, Rodriguesia (e 00872024) 76, pp. 1-39 : 24-26

6.2. Leptobalanus turbinatus (Benth.) Sothers & Prance, Kew Bull. 71(4)-58: 28. 2016.

Basionym: Licania turbinata Benth., J. Bot. (Hooker) 2: 218. 1840. Fig. 9

Tree?; young branches glabrescent, becoming glabrous with age, lenticellate. Leaves elliptic, 3.1–5.2 × 2.3–2.6 cm, coriaceous, discolorous, base rounded, apex acute to rounded, glabrous on both sides, without stomatal crypts, midrib prominulous adaxially, prominent abaxially, primary veins 7–9 pairs, margin slightly revolute; petiole 3–4 mm long, glabrous, canaliculate, eglandular; stipules 2, ca. 4 mm long, lanceolate, glabrous, caducous. Inflorescence terminal, compound cymes, pubescent; bracts lanceolate, 1 mm long, pubescent, sometimes with discoid glands at base; bracteoles 3, triangular, ca. 0.5 mm long, pubescent, eglandular. Flowers ca. 6 mm long, pedicellate, pedicel ca. 1 mm long, pubescent, receptacle campanulate, ca. 1.5–2 mm long, pubescent on the inside, tomentose at apex; sepals triangular, ca. 1.5 mm long, pubescent; stamens ca. 10, 1–4 mm long, free, filaments glabrous; ovary ca. 1 mm long, sericeous; style ca. 6 mm long, tomentose at base. Drupe ellipsoid, not stipitate, 2.3–2.5 × 1.9–2 cm, epicarp smooth, glabrous.

Material examined: Vitória, 6.II.1941, fr., A. Ruschi SP45069 ( SP) .

Additional material: BAHIA. Porto Seguro , próximo ao Arraial da Ajuda, 25.XI.1963, fl., A.P.Duarte 8057 ( NY, RB) .

Leptobalanus turbinatus can be confused with Licania littoralis by their glabrous leaves, of similar size, number of primary veins, slightly revolute margin and short petiole. It can be distinguished by the less conspicuous primary veins, flowers with exserted and more numerous stamens, and the glabrous and not stipitate fruit. Collected with fruits in February.

As the only specimen for EspÍrito Santo does not have the habit or other stem details available, we do not include this information in the description. Specimens from Bahia, a neighbouring state, are trees, up to 3 m tall .

Leptobalanus turbinatus occurs in areas of restinga in Bahia and Pernambuco (Sothers &

Prance 2023), and is here first recorded for the state of EspÍrito Santo, only in the municipality of Vitória. In the state this species is represented by only one record from 1941 and it is not associated with any protected area, which suggests it is under a high threat level. Brasil (2022) assessed it as

“Endangered” ( EN) for the country.

The common name for this species is faiabranca (A. Ruschi SP 45069).