James L. Luteyn and Paola Pedraza-Peñalosa
The New York Botanical Garden
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Lateropora is a neotropical genus consisting of three species, endemic to eastern Costa Rica and west-central Panama. |
LATEROPORA A. C. Smith, Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 28: 333. 1932; Wilbur, R. L. & J. L. Luteyn, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 68: 162-163. 1981. Type: Lateropora ovata A. C. Smith.
Terrestrial or epiphytic shrubs. Leaves alternate, petiolate, pinnately veined, coriaceous. Inflorescences axillary, compact, umbelliform or racemose; floral bract persistent, ovate; pedicels short, stout; bracteoles 2, basal, subopposite, persistent, ovate. Flowers 5-merous; aestivation valvate (?); calyx articulate with pedicel where there are borne apparently glandular, minute trichomes; hypanthium campanulate; lobes triangular, erect; corolla thick-carnose, broadly urceolate or squatly campanulate, densely pilose within, the lobes triangular, reflexed; stamens 10, equal, nearly as long as the corolla; filaments distinct, weakly adherent to the base of the corolla, pilose especially near the connective; connectives lacking spurs or disintegration tissue; anther attached slightly below the middle; thecae granular, strongly basally incurved with the lower 1/3 protruding inwardly or even turning upward; tubules short and rudimentary (vestigial), dehiscing by lateral clefts extending from the apex to approximately the base of the entire length of the anther; viscin threads absent; ovary inferior, 5-locular; stigma truncate; style filiform; disk shallowly cup-shaped. Fruit a berry.
Key to Neotropical Species Back to Top
1. Calyx lobes 2-3 x 4-5 mm; corolla lobes ca. 3 mm long;
petioles 5-15 mm long;
leaves 6-3 x 4-9 cm; NE Costa Rica &
W Panama ............................... L.
ovata.
1. Calyx lobes 2 x 2.2 mm (or less); corolla lobes less
than 2 mm long; petioles
5 mm long or less; leaves 2.5-8.5 x
1.2-4.5 cm.
2. Leaves when young appressed strigillose
beneath with trichomes 0.2-0.3 mm
long;
tubules or the anthers 0.3 mm long or less; leaf blades 3-8.5 cm
long;
Veraguas (Panama)
.................................................................. L.
santafeensis.
2. Leaves glabrous beneath; tubules
of the anthers ca. 0.8 mm long; leaf blades
2.5-3.8 cm long;
Chiriquí (Panama) ............................................ L. tubulifera.
This version comes from James L. Luteyn unpublished notes.