Ab omnibus speciebus Licaniae inflorescentibus multi-ramificantibus, pseudopedicellis 1–3 floribus instructis, pilis bracteolium glandulosis differt.

Tree to 25 m tall, young branches sparsely tomentellous, conspicuously lenticellate with age. Leaves with small triangular to linear stipules to 1.0 mm long, early caducous; petioles 4–7 mm long, terete, rugose, sparsely tomentellous; lamina oblong to oblong-lanceolate, subcoriaceous, 4–8.5 × 1.5–3 cm, cuneate at base, acuminate at apex, the acumen 4–8 mm long, glabrous above, densely rufous lanate-tomentose beneath, with scattered palisade glands mainly near to midrib; midrib plane above, prominent beneath; veins 10–12 pairs, plane above, prominulous beneath. Inflorescence terminal and axillary much-branched panicles with many short branches bearing 1–3 flowers, the rachis and branches rufous-brown tomentose. Bracts and bracteoles membraneous, triangular-acute, c 1 mm long, borne at base and on pseudopedicels, the ciliate margins with glandular hairs; pedicels 0–5 mm long, flowers articulate just below receptacle base where upper bracteoles are borne 2–7 mm below articulations. Receptacle campanulate, rufous-tomentose on exterior. Flowers seen only in young fruiting condition; calyx lobes 5, markedly triangular, tomentose on exterior, interior glabrous towards base, tomentellous towards apex. Petals triangular, margins ciliate. Stamens 12–14, inserted around complete circle, slightly exceeding calyx lobes in length. Style basal; ovary of young developing fruit densely rufous-tomentose becoming less so with age, unilocular with 2 ovules. Mature fruit not seen.

Figure 1. 

Photo of the holotype of Licania palcazuensis (Monteagudo et al. 8250).

Figure 2. 

Close up of distinctive inflorescence of Licania palcazuensis.

Peru. Pasco: Oxapampa, Palcazu District, Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, Cerro Panjil-Ozuz, Permanent plot tree 24, 10°10'S, 75°10'W, 850 m, 12 May 2005, A Monteagudo, A Peña, R. Francis et al. 8250 (holotype, K; isotypes, AMAZ, HUT, MO, MOL, USM).

Same locality, Tree 347, 10 June 2005, 15 May 2005, A. Monteagudo, A Peña, R. Francis et al. 8585 (AMAZ, HUT, K, MO, MOL, USM), Tree 171, 15 May 2005, A. Monteagudo, A Peña, R. Francis et al. 8418 (K, MO USM).

Differs from all other species of Licania in the inflorescence branching with pseudopedicels bearing one or several flowers that articulate from it, and the bracteoles have marginal hairs that terminate in tiny glands. This species belongs to subgenus Moquilea on account of the number of exserted stamens and the presence of petals, but the inflorescence distinguishes it from all the other species of the subgenus. The field notes mention that the flowers are white and that the fruit has yellow spots.

Ab L. laxiflora petiolis 10–13 mm longis (haud 4–8 mm), apicibus foliorum acutis haud acuminatis, floribus parvioribus differt.

Tree to 24 m tall, young branches glabrous, not lenticellate. Leaves with small lanceolate, caducous stipules to 2 mm long; petioles 10–13 mm long, sparsely puberulous or tomentellous when young, terete; lamina ovate-elliptic, coriaceous, 5–14 × 3.5–9 cm, rounded to subcuneate at base, acute to apiculate at apex, glabrous and shiny above; lower surface with deeply reticulate venation filled with a rufous pubescence; midrib impressed above, prominent beneath; veins 6–8 pairs, slightly impressed above, prominent beneath; secondary veins prominent and more or less parallel forming a reticulate pattern, tertiary venation flattened forming stomatal crypts. Inflorescence terminal and axillary towards apex of flowering branches, racemose once-branched panicles, the rachis and branches brown-tomentellous. Flowers ca 1.5–2 mm long, sessile on primary branches of inflorescence. Bracts and bracteoles minute, caducous. Receptacle cupuliform, sessile, short-tomentose on exterior, densely tomentose within; calyx lobes 5, acute, tomentose on both surfaces. Petals absent. Stamens 5–6, inserted to one side of ring. Style basal, pubescent for 2/3 of length, included; ovary pilose-tomentose, inserted at base of receptacle. Fruit not seen.

Figure 3. 

Photo of the holotype of Licania apiknae (Diaz et al. 7016).

Figure 4. 

Close up of inflorescence of Licania apiknae.

Peru. Amazonas: Bagua Prov., Imaza Dist., Comunidad Aguaruna de Putuim, Monte Alto de Putuim, 5°00'54"S, 78°22'44"W, 500 m, 25 Aug 1994, C.Diaz, S.J.Kayip, & P. Atamain 7016 (holotype K; isotype MO).

Peru. Amazonas: Bagua Prov., Imaza Dist., Comunidad de Yamayakat, Quebrada Kus-Chapi, Río Marañon, 04°55'S, 78°19'W, 550 m, Feb 1995, R. Vásquez et al. 19477 (K, MO); Comunidad Aguaruna de Putuim, Monte Alto de Putuim, 22 Aug 1994, C. Diaz et al. 7041 (K, MO).

Closest to Licania laxiflora Fritsch a species of the Guianas and Central Amazonia, but differs in the blunt leaf apex, the longer petioles (10–13 mm versus 4–8 mm), the smaller flowers and bracteoles and the more compact inflorescence. This species has been confused with Licania harlingii Prance, but differs from that species in the longer petioles (5–6 mm in L. harlingii), the blunter leaf apex, the deeply reticulate leaf venation beneath. It belongs to subgenus Licania section Licania on account of the included stamens and the absence of petals. The name for this species is derived from “Apikna”, the Aguaruna name for it.

Ab L. harlingii foliis coriaceis, minoribus 3–7 × 1.5–3.5 (haud 7–12 × 3–7 cm), venis 6–7 (haud 8–11), petiolis 2–3 mm longis (haud 5–6 mm) differt.

Tree to 25 m tall, the young branches sparsely puberulous, not conspicuously lenticellate. Leaves with lanceolate stipules to 2 mm long, caducous, adnate to base of petiole; petioles 2–3 mm long, terete, tomentellous when young; lamina elliptic, coriaceous, 3–7 × 1.5–3.5 cm, cuneate at base, acuminate at apex, the acumen 3–6 mm long, glabrous above, densely brown-tomentellous beneath; midrib plane above, prominent beneath; veins 6–7 pairs, plane above, prominulous beneath. Inflorescence of terminal and subterminal panicles of racemes, the rachis and branches yellow-brown tomentose. Bracts and bracteoles lanceolate to triangular, 1–2 mm long, tomentose, caducous. Flowers almost sessile on primary inflorescence branches. Receptacle turbinate, tomentose on exterior, densely tomentose--pilose within, constricted at base to a minute pedicel 0.5 mm long; calyx lobes 5, acute, triangular, tomentose on exterior, sparsely tomentose within. Petals absent. Stamens 5–6, inserted opposite four calyx lobes. Style basal, pubescent for ¾ of length; ovary rufous tomentose. Fruit pyriform, 2–2.5 × 1 cm, exterior densely rufous-brown tomentose.

Figure 5. 

Photo of the type of Licanis monteagudensis (Monteagudo et al. 5164).

Figure 6. 

Close up of the inflorescence of Licania monteagudensis.

Peru. Pasco: Distr. Palcazu, Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, Estación Biologica Paujil, 10°43'S, 74°54'W, 800 m, 12 May 2003, A. Monteagudo, G. Ortiz & R. Francis 5164 (holotype, K; isotype, MO)

Ecuador. Morona-Santiago: Limon Indanza, Cordillera del Condór, Comunidad Shuar Warints, 03°09'16"S, 78°14'50"W, 1020 m, 5 Oct 2002, G. Toasa 8917 (AAU, K, MO, NY, QCNE, US). Peru. Pasco: Distr. Palcazu, Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, Cerro Paujil-Ozuz, 10°10'S, 75°10"W. 850 m, 15 May, 2005, A. Monteagudo et al. 8418 (K, MO, USM). Amazonas: Bagua Prov., Distr. Imaza, Comunidad Aguaruna Putuim, Anexo de Yamayakat, SW of Putuim, 700–750 m, 20 Jan 1996, C. Díaz et al. 7723A (K, MO); Cerros de Putuim, 5°03'20"S, 78°20'23"W, 350 m, 12 Jun 1996, R. Vásquez et al. 21114 (K, MO);Tyu Mujaji, Comunidad Wawas, 5°15'56"S, 78°22'07"W, 600 m, 25 Oct 1997, R. Vásquez et al. 24699 (K, MO); Quebrada El Amendro, 5°14'40"S, 78°21'24"W, 430 m, 9 Mar 1998 (K, MO).

This species falls into subgenus Licania section Licania and it is close to Licania harlingii Prance but differs in the smaller more coriaceous leaves (3–7 × 1.5–3.5 vs 7–12 × 3–7 cm), fewer veins (6–7 vs 8–11) and the shorter leaf acumen. The habitat is noted as primary forest. This is named for Abel Monteagudo, the collector of the types of two of the species described here.

Since two of these new species and the recently described Licania condoriensis Prance (2013) from the borders of Peru and Ecuador all belong to subgenus Licania section Licania I have provided a key based mainly on vegetative characters to all species of the section known to occur in Peru. All other species of Licania from Peru fall into other subgenera and sections of Licania of Prance and Sothers (2003a). They differ from L. apiknae, L. condoriensis and L. monteagudensis in one or more of the following characters:

Stamens 10–50, exserted (Subgenus Moquilea)

Petals present

Leaf undersurface with a furfuraceous pulverulent pubescence (Section Pulverulenta)

Inflorescence a panicle of cymules (Section Cymosa)

Leaf undersurface glabrous or with a hirsute pubescence (Sections Hymenopus and Hirsuta)