Luehea paniculata Mart., 2025

Gerace, Samuele, Peruzzi, Lorenzo, Baumgratz, José Fernando A. & Bovini, Massimo G., 2025, Flora of Rio de Janeiro: the genus Luehea (Malvaceae: Grewioideae), Rodriguesia (e 00512024) 76, pp. 1-13 : 10

6. Luehea paniculata Mart. , Nov. Gen. Sp. Pl. 1(4): 100. tab. 62. 1826.

= Luehea parvifolia Huber, Bol. Mus. Paraense Hist. Nat. Ethnogr. 2: 507. 1898. Figs. 2 k-l; 4

Trees, 4–18 m hight. Petiole 0.6–1.4 cm long. Leaves 7–15.5 × 4.5–9 cm, membranaceous, ovate to elliptic, base rounded to subcordate, adaxial surface green, glabrescent, the younger with stellate trichomes, caducous, abaxial surface white, with densely arachnoid trichomes and sparse stellate trichomes. Inflorescence with 3–10 flowers, 6–12 cm long, terminal and axillary. Flowers 2.2–5 cm wide; pedicel 0.3–1.6 cm long. Epicalyx with 7–9 bracteoles, 0.7–1.2 × 0.15–0.4 cm, lanceolate. Sepals 1.1–2.4 × 0.3–0.7 cm, lanceolate, 1/2-basal revolute. Petals 1.1–2.4 × 0.9–1.6 cm, pinkish, orbicular, margin entire. Androecium grouped in 5 phalanges, free; staminodes 0.5–1.3 cm long; stamens 0.8–1.9 cm long. Ovary 0.28–0.4 × 0.2–0.3 cm, elliptic, pentagonal in transversal section; style 0.5–1.4 cm long, 1/3-basal pubescent; stigma 0.09–0.19 cm wide, 0.03–0.07 cm long. Capsule 1.7–3 × 0.9–1.2 cm, elliptic, sometimes clavate, apex cuneate, base rounded to acute, villose, dorsal surface valve plane to convex, pentagonal cross section, margins plane, not crest-like. Seeds 0.7–1 × 0.3–0.5 cm.

Selected examined material: Bom Jesus de Itabapoana , 1.III.1965, fl., E. Pereira 9885 ( HB) . Italva, localidade Boa Sorte , 27.I.2014, fl., I.G. Costa 344 ( RB) . Macaé, Pico do Frade , 6.II.1985, fl., C. Farney et al. 560 ( RB) . Niterói, Itaipú, Parque Estadual da Serra da Tiririca , Morro das Andorinhas , 28.V.2013, fr., D.N.S. Machado & L.A. Ribas 285 ( RB) . Nova Friburgo, Lumiar, SÍtio Arco Iris , 20.V.2001, fl., A. Quinet 39/94 ( RB) . Petrópolis, Mata do Judeo , 25.I.1969, fl., D. Sucre & P.I.S. Braga 4499 ( RB) . Rio de Janeiro, Grotão , 16.X.1992,fl., R. Marquete et al. 699 ( RB) .

Lueh e a panic ulata i s w ide spr ead f rom Bolivia, Perú, Brazil, and Paraguay to northern Argentina ( Setser 1977). In Brazil, it occurs in all phytogeographic domains. In the state of Rio de Janeiro, L. paniculata occurs at elevations ranging from 30 to 800 m in submontane and montane ombrophilous forests, and secondary forest, showing a preference for areas with high brightness ( Fig. 4 ). This species only occurs in the Parque Estadual da Serra da Tiririca (Niterói). Flowering was recorded from October to May, and fruiting from January to June.

Luehea paniculata is morphologically very similar to L. divaricata , but it can be recognized by its much wider and orbicular petals, stamens completely free and elliptic ovary vs. obovate petals, stamens connate around the style and ovate ovary. In addition, the fruit is crucial for reliable identification by showing an elliptic shape with plane margin valves ( Fig. 2l ). Luehea paniculata can also be easily recognized by the pinkish color of the corolla, another characteristic in common only with L. divaricata .

Figures

Figure 2 – a-b.Luehea candicans – a. leaf; b. capsule.c-d.L. conwentzii – c. leaf; d. capsule. e-f.L. divaricata – e. leaf; f. capsule. g-h. L. macrophylla – g. leaf; h. capsule. i-j. L. ochrophylla – i. leaf; j. capsule. k-l. L. paniculata – k. leaf; l. capsule. m-p. L. speciosa – m. leaf; n-p. capsules. (a-b. S. Lima 406; c-d. C. Farney et al. 3578; e-f. J.F.A. Baumgratz et al. 1724; g-h. S. Gerace 128; i-j. T.M. Scarponi; k-l. D.N.S. Machado & L.A. Ribas 285; m-o. G.A. de Queiroz 408; n. B.N. Riguetti 18; p. D. Costantino). Photos by Samuele Gerace.

Figure 4 – Geographical distributionsof Luehea macrophylla, L. ochrophylla and L. paniculate in the state of Rio de Janeiro.