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(Last Modified On 3/28/2013)
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(Last Modified On 3/28/2013)
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Genus
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Laetia Loefl. ex L.
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PlaceOfPublication
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Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 1074, 1373, 1759.
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Description
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Shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate, distichous, petiolate, the stipules early cadu- cous, the blade crenate or serrate, rarely entire-margined or nearly so, usually pellucid-punctate, sometimes coriaceous and epunctate. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, fasciculate or cymose. Flowers rather small, I, the pedicels articulated above the base, the bracteoles small, the bracts and bracteoles sometimes united into a cupule; sepals 4-5, imbricate, free or scarcely united at the base, somewhat petaloid, reflexed or not at anthesis, deciduous; petals absent; stamens 10-20 or co, inserted on an obsolete disc, the filaments free, equal or not, the anthers small, elliptic or linear, not appendaged, introrse, attached at or above the base, longitudi- nally dehiscent; staminodes none; ovary free, 1-locular, with 3 parietal placentas, the placentas few- to many-ovulate; style short, simple or shortly but distinctly 3- lobed, the stigmas capitate or lobed. Fruit a berry-like capsule, tardily valvately dehiscent, sometimes resinous within; seeds few to numerous, arillate, the testa coriaceous; endosperm copious; embryo straight; cotyledons broad and foliaceous.
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Habit
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Shrubs or trees
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Distribution
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A neotropical genus of about 20 species; three species, at present, reported from Panama and North America.
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Key
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a. Inflorescences fasciculate, many-flowered; sepals 5. b. Pedicels to 4 mm long, minutely puberulous; sepals ca 1.8-2 mm long, erect at anthesis, minutely puberulous outside; stamens 10, the anthers ca 0.3 mm long; style shortly but distinctly 3-fid at the apex; leaf blades with the margins serrulate ............. 1. L. micrantha bb. Pedicels to 12 mm long, glabrous; sepals to 4 mm long, reflexed at anthesis, glabrous; stamens 12-20, the anthers to 1.5 mm long; styel undivided; leaf blades with the margins minutely appressed-serrulate to almost entire ....2. L. procera aa. Inflorescences dichasial, few-flowered; sepals 4, 8-9 mm long; stamens 0o; style undivided; leaf blades with the margins entire to indistinctly crenulate ....3. L. thamnia
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