116 



The small-leaved Oustavia 



jiistav ia x-'letirccarpa Pittier, uoritr. U.II. Herb. 26:4. 1927 



:jescrii3tion of the tree 



A middle sized tree, the triink erect, covered with a 

 smooth, grayish bark » -the crown elongate, the branchlets 

 slender and flexible. leaves membranous, glabrous, the pe- 

 tioles 1.5 to 2 cm. long, the blades ovBte-elli^jtic , atte- 

 nuate and subdecurrent at the base, subacixminate and mere 

 or less acute at the apex, 6 to 19 cm. long, 3.5 to 7 cm. 

 broad; iuargin entire; costa jjrominent on both faces of the 

 blade; veins^'about 8, prominent beneath, i' lowers terminal, 

 single or geminate, ^bout 6 cm. in diameter v/lien spreading, 

 the i^eduncles, bracts, receptacle and calyx lobes brcv/nish 

 purpuraceous. Peduncles 2 cm. long, rather thici:, bearing 

 at the middle a jjair of bracts, these ovate, acute, 4 to 6 

 mm. long; calyx lobes o, ovate, acute, persistent, about 

 7 mi-i. long; petals 6, ovate, rounded at 4pex, 3 to 3.5 cm. 

 long, about 2 cm. broad, pale-yellov;, mox-e or less purpura- 

 ceous without, the exterior ones larger; stamens numerous, 

 adnate at the base, inflected; ovary G-celled, each cell 

 pluriovulate; style very short; stigmas 6» erect and adhering, 

 Young fruits crov/ned v/ith persistent calyx lobes and mere or 

 less distinctly 6-GOGtate. 



Descrix.tion of the '.70od 



3apwood very thin, nearly .vhite; heartwood light yellow, 

 turning darker upon exposure to light and air. Jood modera- 

 tely hard and heavy, very tough, strong, slightly cross and 

 fine-grained, taking a good polish. Annual rin^s of growth 

 visible cxily under the high power microscope. 



Peres (transverse section) very numerous, small (.125 

 mm. in diameter), rtund when isolated, but when in groups 

 or radial rowd irregular in outline, usually open, sometimes 

 closed in the heartwood, and arranged chiefly in small groups 

 or radial rows. Vessel walls (longitudinal section) with 

 numerous, small, simple cr bordered x^its. Perforations 



