Revisional study of neotropical Beilschmiedia species (Lauraceae ...

There are several collections from Costa Rica and Panama, which approach to B.
ova/is in the pubescence type, ramification pattern on lower leaf surface and flower
structure. But they have larger leaves than the typical collections of B. ova/is . . Burger and
van der Werff (1990) accepted then1 as a large-leaved forn1 of B. ova/is at lower elevation.
However, those collections also differ from the typical collections of B. ova/is in the number
of secondary veins, form of tertiary veins, ramification on upper leaf surfaces and fruit
shape. These collections are actually very similar to the typical collections of B. alloiophylla
except for the absence of pubescence on the lower leaf surfaces. I place these collections in
B. alloiophylla (see the notes under B. alloiophylla).
21. Beilscluniedia pendula (Swartz) Hen1sley, Bioi. Cent.-Amer., Bot. 3: 70. 18~2.
Laurus pendula Swartz, Prodr.: 65. 1788. Hufelandia pendula (Swartz) Nees,
Plantarum Laurinarum Secundum Affmitates Naturales Expositio: 22. 1833. TYPE:
Jamaica.: locality unknown, Swartz s.n. (BM, C-2 sheets, S not seen).
Hufelandia thomaea Nees, Plantarun1 Laurinarum Secundum Affmitates Naturales Expositio:
23. 1833. TYPE: St. Thomas. locality and collector unknown (B not seen, P not seen).
Tree, to 35 m tall. Terminal buds pubescent with appressed straight hairs. Twigs
terete, compressed when young, pubescent with appressed straight hairs, less densely to
glabrous when old. Leaves alternate; petioles (0. 7) 1-1.5 (2) cn1 long, flat or rarely
canaliculate above, glabrous or sparsely pubescent with appressed hairs, concolorous with
the twigs; blades firmly chartaceous, elliptic to oblanceolate, 4-13 (22) x 2-5 (10.5) em; base
cuneate, not inrolled, apex acun1inate or very rarely acute to obtuse; upper leaf surface
glabrous, lower leaf surface glabrous or rarely sparsely pubescent with appressed hairs,
lower leaf surface glaucous, very rarely not glaucous; midrib imn1ersed above, slightly
raised below, secondary veins (5) 7-10 (12) pairs, immersed above, slightly to
conspicuously raised or rarely almost immersed below, tertiary veins not percurrent or rarely
more or less percurrent, ramification fine, areoles in square or rectangular with a few free
veinlets, immersed above (but the patten1 partially visible), almost imn1ersed or slightly
raised below, the pattern visible on the upper surface n1uch coarser than on the lower
surface. Inflorescences axillary, paniculate with few branches, 3-14 (17) em long, almost
glabrous or sparsely pubescent with short appressed hairs, with (5) 10-25 ( 40) flowers per
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