Leptobalanus

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 : 23-24

Identification key for Leptobalanus from the state of Espírito Santo

1. Leaves with cuneate base and stomatal crypts on the abaxial surface; inflorescence racemose panicle; stamens usually longer (4–5 mm) .............................................6.1. Leptobalanus octandrus subsp. octandrus

1’. Leaves with rounded base, without stomatal crypts; inflorescence compound cymes; stamens usually shorter (1–4 mm) ..................................................................................................... 6.2. Leptobalanus turbinatus 6.1. Leptobalanus octandrus (Hoffmanns. ex Schult. & Roem.) Sothers & Prance subsp. octandrus, Kew Bull. 71(4)-58: 27. 2016.

Basionym: Hirtella octandra Hoffmanns. ex Roem. & Schult., Syst. Veg. 15(5): 274. 1819. Figs. 1 i-j; 9

Shrub to tree, up to 30 m tall, DBH 25–30 cm, stem 2–20 m tall, cylindric; branches glabrous, lenticellate. Leaves elliptic, 4–8.2 × 2.1–4.5 cm, chartaceous, discolorous, base cuneate, apex acuminate, rarely acute or rounded, acumen up to 4 mm long, glabrous adaxially, glabrescent to tomentose abaxially, with stomatal crypts, midrib prominent on both sides, primary veins 6–9 pairs; petiole 4–7 mm long, glabrous to puberulous, plane adaxially, with 2 discoid glands, near lamina; stipules 2, filiform, 2–5 mm long, chartaceous, puberulent, often caducous. Inflorescence terminal to subterminal, racemose panicle, sparsely tomentulose; bracts 1, triangular, ca. 1.5 mm long, sparsely tomentulose; bracteoles 3, triangular, ca. 0.5 mm long, pubescent. Flowers 4–6 mm long, green to yellow, pubescent, sessile or pedicellate, pedicel ca. 1 mm long; receptacle campanulate, ca. 1 mm long, tomentose; sepals triangular, 1–1.5 mm long, sericeous on both sides; stamens 8–11, 4–5 mm long, filaments glabrous, free; ovary 0.5–1 mm long, sericeous; style 2.5–3 mm long, sparsely sericeous to half its length. Drupe ellipsoid, green, stipitate or not, 1.6–2.1 × 1.8–2 cm, epicarp smooth, glabrous.

Selected material examined: Água Doce do Norte , afloramento rochoso próximo ao centro da cidade, 24.VI.2015, fr., J. Luber 138 ( VIES) . Aracruz , AI-Guaraná, 8.IV.1992, fl., R.N. Oliveira 212 ( VIES) . Conceição da Barra, Rebio do Córrego Grande, área de Muçununga, Trilha da Lagoa , 30.X.2012, fl., M. Ribeiro 831 ( RB, SAMES, VIES) . Itarana, Limoeiro de Santo Antônio , 18.IV.2009, fl., V.B. Sarnaglia Júnior 35 ( VIES) . Jerônimo Monteiro , CondomÍnio Vivenda dos Mestres, 6.X.2011, fl., H.M. Dias 793 ( VIES) . Linhares, Reserva Natural Vale, próx.a Estrada 161 talhão 601, 14.II.1973, fl., J. Spada 193 ( INPA, RB) ; Estrada Flamengo , 19.XI.2014, fr., D.A. Folli 7309 ( CVRD, RB) . Marilândia, Liberdade, propriedade Deoclécio Lorenccini , 14.VII.2006, fl., V. Demuner 2650 ( MBML, RB) ; fl. and fr., 11.XII.2007, V. Demuner 4752 ( MBML) . Santa Maria de Jetibá, Belém , terreno de Paulo Seik, 25.IX.2003, fr., L. Kollmann 6291 ( MBML) ; 17.VI.2003, fr., L. Kollmann 6220 ( MBML) . Santa Teresa, São Antônio, terreno do Boza , 22.III.1999, fl., L. Kollmann 2211 ( MBML, RB) ; 27.IV.1999, fr., L. Kollmann 2515 ( MBML, RB) .

Leptobalanus octandrus subsp. octandrus can be distinguished by the chartaceous leaves, less conspicuous and less pubescent stomatal crypts, often caducous stipules and exserted stamens (4–5 mm long). Collected with flowers from October to April and July, and fruits from April to November.

Leptobalanus octandrus subsp. octandrus is a widely distributed taxon, recorded in Bolivia, Colombia, Guianas, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil ( Prance & Sothers 2003a). In the latter it occurs in all states from the Central-West and Southeast regions, in the states of Amazonas, Amapá, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Pará, ParaÍba, Pernambuco, Roraima, Sergipe and Tocantins ( Sothers & Prance 2023e). In EspÍrito Santo it occurs in Ombrophilous forest, Mussununga and Mata de Tabuleiro, in the municipalities of Água Doce do Norte, Aracruz, Conceição da Barra, Itarana, Jerônimo Monteiro, Linhares, Marilândia, Santa Maria de Jetibá and Santa Teresa. It was collected in three protected areas (Floresta Nacional do Rio Preto, Reserva Biológica do Córrego Grande, Reserva Natural Vale) and is not considered threatened.

The common names for this species are azeitona-verde (D.A. Folli 5544, 7309, A.A. da Luz

4), milho-torrado (J. Spada 193) and milho-torradomirim (J. Spada 67/78).