Desmopsis heteropetala R.E.Fr.

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

10. Desmopsis heteropetala R.E.Fr. — Map 7

Desmopsis heteropetala R.E.Fr.(1931) 316. — Type: Pittier 7967 (holo BR), Costa Rica, San José, ‘ Forêts de Tablazo’ , Mar. 1893.

Shrub or tree 2–7 m tall, 5–10 cm diam; young twigs and petiole glabrous. Leaves: petiole 3–8 mm long (but often appearing subsessile because of the cordate base of the lamina), 2–4 mm diam; lamina elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 15–40 by 6–17 cm, coriaceous, shiny on both sides, glabrous above and below, base cordate, apex acute to acuminate (acumen 10–25 mm long), primary vein slightly impressed above, raised and strongly keeled below, secondary veins 10–15 on either side of primary vein, slightly raised above, tertiary veins raised above, reticulate. Inflorescence and flower indument: pedicels and outer side of bracts glabrous, outer side of sepals and petals sparsely to rather densely covered with appressed hairs. Inflorescences 1- or 2-flowered, leaf-opposed; pedicels 45–80 mm long, 1–3 mm diam, 80–140 mm long and 2–5 mm diam in fruit; basal bract leafy, broadly ovate to circular, 15–40 by 15–40 mm, upper bract scale-like, 1–2 mm long; sepals shallowly ovate-triangular, 3–5 by 3–4 mm, spreading; petals cream, unequal, outer petals narrowly ovate-triangular to ovate-triangular, 8–20 by 5–12 mm, inner ones narrowly ovate-triangular, 8–20 by 3–5 mm. Monocarps 5–10, yellow or orange, finally shiny red to purple-black, spherical to ellipsoid, 20–38 by 16–27 mm, glabrous, apex rounded, not constricted between the seeds upon drying, wall 2–4 mm thick, stipes 2–10 by 2–6 mm. Seeds 2–8, in two rows, hemidiscoid or quartispherical, 6–15 by 2–4 mm, grooved.

Distribution — Costa Rica.

Habitat & Ecology — In primary or secondary lowland rain forest. At elevations of 0– 500 m. Flowering: February to April, September, October; fruiting: May, September to November.

Vernacular names — Not recorded.

Note — Desmopsis heteropetala is easily recognizable by its large leaves with a cordate base, and primary vein strongly keeled on the lower side. The monocarps are large (20–38 mm long), spherical to ellipsoid, and without any constriction between the two rows of seeds. Moreover, the monocarps are very thick-walled (wall to 4 mm thick).

Figures

Map 7 Distribution of Desmopsis heteropetala R.E.Fr. (▲), D. microcarpa R.E.Fr. (●) and D. talamancana G.E.Schatz & Maas (■).