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(Last Modified On 11/12/2012)
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(Last Modified On 11/12/2012)
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Genus
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PHOEBE Nees
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PlaceOfPublication
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Syst. Laurin. 98. 1836.
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Description
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Evergreen trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, the blades triplinerved or sub- triphnerved, occasionally penninerved. Inflorescence paniculate, axillary and usually subterminal; panicles loose or narrow, strict, somewhat racemose, with no involucre. Flowers perfect, pedicellate or occasionally sessile. Perianth-tube short although usually well-defined. Perianth-lobes approximately equal or subequal, occasionally the three outer lobes shorter, usually incurved, rarely reflexed, and, for the most part in Panama, thin in texture. Stamens of all three series with four fertile anther-cells; anther-cells of the two outer series introrse, the two upper cells slightly smaller than the two lower, frequently with inconspicuous con- nective tissue; two lower anther-cells of inner series extrorse, the two upper usually slightly smaller, lateral or at most laterally extrorse; filaments of inner series con- spicuously biglandular. Staminodia well developed, conspicuous, cordate, stipitate, the stipe usually pubescent. Ovary glabrous, usually ellipsoid, occasionally sub- globose. Style cylindrical slender, equal to or shorter than the ovary, glabrous. Stigma usually triangularly discoid or capitate, fairly conspicuous. Fruit a berry, borne in a shallow somewhat fleshy cupule frequently crowned by the remnants of the perianth-lobes, and subtended by the, enlarged pedicel.
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Note
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The genus consists of approximately 120 recognized species, about 80 of which are in this hemisphere. Of this number one-half occur in Mexico and Central America, the bulk of the remainder in South America with about a half-dozen in the West Indies. In the eastern hemisphere the species are to be found about equally divided between Malaysia and; the mainland of Asia. Only one species from Brazil is important commercially, being used for interior construction and furniture.
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Key
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a. Leaf-blades triplinerved or subtriplinerved. b. Blades not more than 10 cm. long ......................................... ... 1. P. BRENESI! bb. Blades usually not less than 12 cm. long. c. Blades definitely triplinerved, coriaceous; nervation not pale red- dish; panicles 10-19 cm. long. d. Blades narrowly elliptic; inflorescences loose, spreading, few- flowered panicles ................................................. 2. P. COSTARICANA dd. Blades elliptic to lanceolate or oblong-elliptic; inflorescences numerous, narrowly racemose, many-flowered panicles 3. P. MEXICANA cc. Blades subtriplinerved, membranaceous becoming pergamenta- ceous; nervationI pale reddish; panicles not more than 12 cm. long ........................................... ............................................ 4. P. JoHNSToNII aa. Leaf-blades penninerved ............................. 5. P. PITTIERI
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