1963] 



BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLANDS PART V 



113 



Nectandra 



Since delimitation of this genus has been the focal point of much discussion 

 for the past century, it seems appropriate at this time, before treating the species 

 involved in the area here under consideration, to mention briefly two of the most 

 controversial species complexes concerned. The first centers about Nectandra 

 cuspidata and A", pichurim ; the second about Nectandra globosa and N. pisi. At 

 present, only tentative suggestions can be made which we can only hope to have 

 clarified when conscientious effort has been made to obtain collections of fruiting 

 material from the areas where these species grow profusely and from which 

 collections have so far been made almost entirely in the flowering stage. 



First, the cuspidata-pichurim complex. After examination of as much of the 

 type material and collections from the type localities as are available, with close 

 attention to field notes and published comments, the following suggestions are 

 offered. Except for the fact that there are a few scattered fruiting specimens 

 extant, even a distribution pattern and separation as tentative as the following 

 could scarcely be presented. It goes without saying that further collections from 

 the critical areas under consideration will undoubtedly necessitate a change 

 in the present interpretation of the distribution of the species, as well as of the 

 current delimitations of species and genus. 



There appear to be two species, at least, similar in branching and leaf habit, 

 which share a common flower structure, namely, having stamens of the first and 

 second series with anthers broader than long, their cells in the arcuate arrange- 

 ment usual for Nectandra and occupying almost entirely the anther structure, 

 with Little or no connective tissue apparent. Also, specimens with seemingly 

 identical branching and foliage habits are known to mature two types of fruit, 

 not distinctive in shape, but in their relation to the cupule subtending them, 

 and in the shape of the cupule itself. These, from study of available fruiting 

 material, are represented by N. cuspidata and N. pichurim, both occurring in 

 the Guayana area ; these are discussed below. 



Brief mention only should be made here of two additional species closely 

 related to the above-mentioned critical taxa : Nectandra membranacea Grisebach 

 from the West Indies exclusive of Trinidad and Tobago, which bears globose, 

 totally exserted fruits subtended by a ver} r shallow, disklike cupule, seated on 

 a much more coarsely enlarged obconical pedicel than that found in the cuspidata- 

 pichurim species; and Nectandra gentler Lundell chiefly of Central America, 

 more closely allied with the current concept of N. cuspidata than any of the 

 plants under discussion. Nectandra gentlei bears ellipsoid fruits, larger than 

 those found in the three taxa last mentioned, and borne totally exserted on 

 shallow cupules. Leaf characteristics of all four species may vary, but the flower 

 structures remain more or less consistent with only minor deviations apparent. 



Apparently associated with the Nectandra cuspidata-pichurim complex 

 through leaf and branching habit, specimens have been collected from regions 

 of tropical South America other than the Guayana area that show a second type 

 of flower considered to be representative of the Nectandra globosa-pisi complex. 

 The typical, more or less triangular, exceedingly fleshy, usually papillose anthers 

 have a protruding connective of varying length. These specimens are mentioned 

 in this connection merely to bring attention to a second type of floral character- 

 istic which in other features has an affinity to the complex discussed above. 



The second critical group indicated, the Nectandra globosa-pisi complex, will 

 be taken up only briefly in proper sequence, no attempt being made at present 

 to resolve it. Until a thorough monographic study is under way, neither of these 



