Desmopsis neglecta (A.Rich.) 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 : 79

15. Desmopsis neglecta (A.Rich.) R.E.Fr. — Map 8

Desmopsis neglecta (A.Rich.) R.E.Fr. (1927) 3. — Uvaria neglecta A.Rich. (1841 ‘1845’) 44. — Type: de la Sagra s.n. (holo P), Cuba,‘ Crescit frequens in sylvis diversarum insulae partium, et specialiter in parte occidentali’.

Asimina rhombifolia Griseb.(1866) 4. — Type: Wright 1852 (lecto GOET, se- lected here; isolecto B, BM, G 3 sheets,GH,HAC, K, MA, MO, NY 2 sheets, P, S 2 sheets, US), Cuba, Pinar del Río, Viñales (‘in collibus pr. S. José’), 30 June 1860 –1864.

Shrub or tree 1–2 m tall, diam not recorded; young twigs and petiole rather densely covered with erect, brownish hairs. Leaves: petiole 1–4 mm long, c. 1 mm diam; lamina broadly rhombic-obovate to circular, 2–8 by 1.5–5 cm, subcoriaceous, margins slightly revolute, shiny and glabrous on both sides, but with some soon falling erect hairs along primary vein below, base acute to obtuse, slightly oblique, apex acuminate (acumen 5–20 mm long), the extreme tip obtuse to rounded, often curved to one side, primary vein slightly impressed above, secondary veins 5–13 on either side of primary vein, raised above, tertiary veins raised above, reticulate. Inflorescence and flower indument: pedicels and outer side of bracts, sepals densely covered with erect and appressed hairs, petals rather densely covered with appressed hairs. Inflorescences 1- or 2-flowered, leaf-opposed, pedicels 5–10 mm long, c. 1 mm diam, to c. 15 mm long in fruit, basal and upper bracts at nearly the same level, scale-like, broadly ovate-triangular, 1–2 by 1–2 mm; sepals broadly ovate-triangular, 1–2.5 by 1–2.5 mm; petals subequal, linear, 13–19 by 3–5 mm. Monocarps 6–15, colour not recorded, ellipsoid, to c. 20 by 15 mm, densely covered with brown, erect and appressed hairs when young, finally glabrous, apex rounded, not constricted between the seeds upon drying, wall c. 0.5 mm thick, stipes 0–3 mm long, c. 1 mm diam. Seeds 2, in one row, hemispherical, 8–13 by 8 mm, smooth.

Distribution — Cuba (Pinar del Río).

Habitat & Ecology — In tropical moist gallery forests. Pre- sumably at low elevation. Flowering: June; fruiting: June.

Vernacular names — Not recorded.

Note — Desmopsis neglecta is very peculiar in being the only species of the genus occurring in the Caribbean on Cuba. It is distinguished by its small, almost rhombic leaves, short pedicels bearing scale-like bracts at nearly the same level, and subsessile monocarps.