New and interesting Chrysobalanaceae from Amazonia

In this paper the most interesting and recent tollections l'l'!ade by the author in the Amazoruan j3razil and by other collectors are discussed here in this addition to his monograph of the Neotropical members of the Cbrysobalanaceae. Three new species ::.ra also descrideb.

Since the preparation of my monograph of the Neotropical members of the Chrysobafa· naceae (Prance, 1972), I have made 136 further collections during a year of fieldwork in Arnazonian Brazil in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia. The most interesting o f these recent collections as we! I as a few made by other collectors are discussed here in this first addition to the monograph, and 3 new species are described. Some of the collections cited are very large range extensions, particularly of species previous ly known only from around Manaus (Fig. 1) . This is indicative of the need for further collections away from the population centers to fill in the many distribution gaps in our knowledge of the Amazon flora.
acuminem 10-18 mm longum contractae. basi subcuneatae, supra glabrae, subtus dense lanatae, profunde reticulatae; costa media supra impressa versus basim tomentella, subtus prominenti; costis secundari is 9-11 jugis supra planis subtus prominentibus. This species belongs to Licania subgenus Licania, section Licania. lt is, however, most distinct not easily confused with any other species. The numerous axillary inflorescences, and the two types of stamens distinguish this species. The larger stamens are fertile, th-e smaller ones have well developeà anthers but abortive pollen. L. jimenezii is probably closest to L. a/ba and L. robusta . lt differs from L. alba in the much smaller bracteoles and flowers, the less conspicous leaf reticulations, the longer petioles, and the stamens etc., and from L. robusta in the smaller flowers, the pubescent inflorescence, the grandular petioles, the caducous stipules, the impressed midrib etc .  ;

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lO , This first collection of L . kunthiana from Acre, considerably extends to the southwe<:t the known range of the widespread speci es. This species was described from maten al col l e~;ted m Venezuela and on the Rio Negro above Uaupés. Thus, the present col lect10n 8Xi:end::. the range considerably eustwards. The plant was a shrub of 3 m with numerous separate trunks. growing amongst rocks , and its habit is quite different from L . a peta/a to which it is rnost close ly related .   This species was previously known only by the many collections from the vicinity of M anaus. This new collection extends t he known range considerably, see Fig . 1 . The Acre collection has the same type of flaking bark which makes th is species so easy to recognize in the field around Manaus.

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Coupeia glabra is quite unlike any of the species already described, but it is probab!y closest to C. wil/iamsii from which it differs in the usuall y paniculate inflorescence, the larger leaves, the almost glabrous style, the glabrous unde rside of the leaves, as well as in a number of additional small cha racters.
The materia l available contams 4 inflorescences, and I was able to observe these closely in the field since the terminal ones are reather different from the axillary ones. The inflorescence branches are very short in both inflorescences and often bear only a síngle flower In the axi ll ary inflorescences the branches ar e someti mes much reduced giv1ng a recemose appearance.
The leaves are also polymorphic since the apical ones are smaller and more oblong than the larger oblong-lanceolate leaves of the lowf:r branches. Since I collected this species m i· self I was able to verify carefully this variation in the inflorescence and leaves, which is greater than in most species of Couepia.  Manaus. lt is interestíng that in fact it is obviously distributed in western Amazonia, as the collections cited above are from 2 widely separated localities well outside the previous known range of this species, see Fig. 1.
This species was described from material collected in Venezuela and highet· up the Rio Negro in Brazil. The collection cited extends the known range slightly to the east down the Rio Negro, but it is mentioned mainly because I was able to observe the habitat and habit of C. maguirei better. This species is confined to rocky river islands, and is underwater for much of the year. As well as the few inflorescences in the upper branches, the majority of flowers are borne on separate flower-branches coming from the ma in trunk between 20-100 em above ground levei. Hence, this species can only flower during the dry season at low water, and the rising water washes off and distributes the fruits.
Uses : The fleshy cotyledons are edible and the fruits are gathered in large numbers by Brazilians in the Rio ltuxi region. The kernel is eaten raw or is crushed and added to their tapioca cakes (Beijú).
lt is also used to extract the oil which is used cooking and for making soap.
In Prance (1972), I indicated that the col-/ection Rodrigues & Coêlho 1408, was possibly a new species, but I did not describe it from a single unicate collection with only half a "fruit. During 1971 I was able to collect this species ..

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in another locality and to study it in the field as well as germinate the seedlings. The older collection, Krukoff 5882A, was studied for my monograph, and since it has only very young insect damaged flower buds it was set aside as a possible new species. With the additiona! new material it is now possible to describe it. This species is placed in the little collected genus Acioa with some hesitation since the mature flowers have not been examined and it could belong to Collepia. However, there is no doubt that it represents a hitherto undescribed species of Chrysobalanaceae. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS lhe 1971 field work was carried out through support of the National Science Foundatton grant GB-18655. I am extremely grateful to the Director and staff of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil, for their assistance and joint sponsorship of the field program, and to the President and Directors of the New York Botanical Garden for their support and sponsorship of the fiel program. Finally I should like to thank Miss Claire Saraceni for preparing the line drawings.