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(Last Modified On 5/13/2013)
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(Last Modified On 5/13/2013)
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Species
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Vitex cymosa Bert. ex Spreng. in L.
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PlaceOfPublication
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Syst. Veg. ed. 16. 2: 757. 1825.
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Synonym
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Jatropha tomentosa Spreng. in L., Syst. Veg., ed. 16. 3: 77. 1826. Vitex discolor Glaz., Bull. Soc. Bot. France, Mem. 3: 547. 1911. Vitex cujabensis Mart. ex Benth., Bot. Voy. Sulphur 155. 1846.
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Description
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Tree to 28 m tall; trunk to 60 cm in diameter 1.5 m above ground; branchlets gray to brownish, acutely or obtusely tetragonal, the pith small, the youngest parts densely puberulent with sordid-grayish or yellowish hairs. Leaves 3-7- foliolate, sometimes subopposite; leaflets usually unequal in size, the two lower- most usually considerably smaller, the central leaflet oblong or elliptic to oblan- ceolate-elliptic or obovate, rarely lanceoate, 4-23 cm long and 2.4-7.2 cm wide, apically acute to abruptly short-acuminate or even caudate-acuminate, the acumen itself blunt, basally acute or acuminate-attenuate, entire, green on both surfaces when mature or lighter beneath, brunnescent or nigrescent above when immature,
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Habit
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Tree
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Description
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firmly chartaceous or rarely subcoriaceous when mature, very lightly and ob- scurely pulverulent-puberulent above when immature, usually glabrescent and shiny when mature, puberulent to short-tomentellous (sometimes very densely so) beneath when immature, less so when mature; petioles 2.5-15 cm long, densely puberulent or short-pubescent; petiolules 1-17 mm long when mature, densely puberulent, margined, the lateral petiolules usually shorter than the central ones, often obsolete on immature leaves. Inflorescences axillary, cymose, abundant, much shorter than the subtending petioles, 2-9.5 cm long and 1-10 cm wide, 1-4 times dichotomous with wide-spreading branches, usually flowering before the leaves are completely mature, whitish- or yellowish-puberulent throughout, the hairs denser at all the joints; peduncles 0.7-4.5 cm long, the cyme-branches con- spicuously flattened; pedicels 1-2 mm long; foliaceous bracts often present, simple, obovate-spatulate or oblong-elliptic, stipitate 1-1.5 cm long, similar to the im- mature leaflets in pubescence; bractlets linear, 1-4 mm long; prophylls setaceous, ca. 1 mm long. Flowers with the calyx campanulate, 2-3 mm long and 2-5 mm wide, densely puberulent, 5-dentate, the teeth ovate, obtuse or acute, often re- curved or reflexed, often nigrescent on the inner surface; corolla blue or pinkish- blue to violet, lilac, or purple, rarely white, hypocrateriform, the tube 6-7 mm long, puberulent outside above the calyx, the limb conspicuously 2-lipped, the 4 small lobes ca. 4 mm long and 2 mm wide, obtuse, the fifth lobe much enlarged, rounded, ca. 7 mm long and 8 mm wide, the margins crisped. Fruit succulent, purplish- or violet-black, 1.1-2 cm long and 0.9-1.5 cm wide, glabrous, edible; fruiting cymes usually 4-6.5 cm long and lax, the pedicels 1-5 mm long, strigose- pubescent; fruiting-calyx flattened-campanulate, ca. 5 mm long and 12 mm wide, shallow, coriaceous, dark, finely short-strigose outside, 4- or 5-lobed, the lobes broadly triangular-ovate and often more or less obscurely toothed.
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Distribution
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A variable species ranging from Panama to Bolivia, Paraguay, and northern Argentina.
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Note
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It grows on both high ground and on inundated land, in thickets, the margins of woods, open woods and virgin forests, savannas, arid coastal areas, and cactus deserts. The fruits are edible, very sweet with a peculiar after-taste.
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Common
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Azietuno canaguate
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Common
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cuajado taruma, taruma do igapo
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Common
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taruma do alagado jaramantaia
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Common
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tarumai de varzea
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Specimen
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DARIEN: Rio Pirre, "cuajado," Duke & Bristan 8244 (MO).
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Tag
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Project Name
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