118. Guatteria panamensis (R.E.Fr.) R.E.Fr. — Map 22

Guatteria panamensis (R.E.Fr.) R.E.Fr. (1950a) 335. — Guatteria costaricensis R.E.Fr. subsp. panamensis R.E.Fr. (1939) 515. —

Type: Cooper 382 (holo F; iso K, US), Panama, Bocas del Toro, region of Almirante, Daytonia Farm, 1 Dec. 1928.

Tree 6–13 m tall, diam not recorded; young twigs rather densely to densely covered with appressed hairs. Leaves: petiole 3–7 mm long, 1–2 mm diam; lamina narrowly obovate to narrowly elliptic, 13–27 by 5–12 cm (leaf index 1.8–3), chartaceous, not verruculose, dull, greyish black above, greenish brown below, glabrous above, densely to rather densely covered with appressed hairs on primary and secondary veins, otherwise sparsely so to glabrous below, base acute, apex acuminate (acumen 5–10 mm long), primary vein flat above, secondary veins distinct, 15–18 on either side of primary vein, flat to slightly raised above, smallest distance between loops and margin 1–3 mm, tertiary veins indistinct, flat to slightly raised above, reticulate to slightly percurrent. Flowers 1– 2-flowered inflorescences in axils of leaves or on leafless branchlets; flowering and fruiting pedicels 20–40 mm long, 1–2 mm diam, rather densely covered with appressed hairs, articulated at c. 0.2 from the base, bracts 5–6, soon falling, not seen; sepals shallowly ovate-triangular, 3–4 by 4–6 mm, appressed to reflexed, outer side densely covered with appressed hairs; petals yellowish green or deep yellow in vivo, ovate to broadly elliptic, 6–17 by 7–10 mm, outer side densely covered with appressed hairs; stamens 1–2 mm long, connective shield papillate. Monocarps 30–50, green in vivo, black in sicco, ellipsoid, 7–10 by 3–4 mm (immature), sparsely covered with appressed hairs, apex apiculate (apiculum <0.5 mm long), wall 0.1–0.2 mm thick, stipes 6–10 by 1 mm. Seed ellipsoid, 7–9 by 3–5 mm, dark brown, rugose, raphe slightly impressed.

Distribution — Costa Rica, Panama.

Habitat & Ecology — In non-inundated forest. At elevations of 0–700 m. Flowering: February, November; fruiting: July, December.

Vernacular names — Not recorded.

Note — Guatteria panamensis has been poorly collected. It resembles G. aeruginosa with which it occurs sympatrically in Panama. However, the latter is distinct by erect hairs on the primary vein on the upper side and on the lower side of the leaf, and mostly has verruculose leaves.