phytotaxa - Magnolia Press

acts and are referred to the ulei morphotype.
In northwestern Peru (Amazonas) and just reaching extreme southern Ecuador (Zamora-Chinchipe),
specimens are large with ovate pinnae, densely spiny peduncular bracts, and large fruits. They are referred to
as the amazonas morphotype.
In central Peru (San Martín) specimens are extremely variable. A single specimen from southern San
Martín (Schunke 6927) is larger, with densely spiny sheaths and long, almost linear pinnae (sanmartin
morphotype). A second specimen from the northern part of the department (Williams 6661) is completely
different, with smaller, ovate pinnae and a finely spiny peduncular bract (ulei morphotype).
In south-central Peru (Pasco) there are two specimens (Henderson 3009, Smith 3791) which are
considerably larger than others and have large stems, long, lanceolate pinnae, and large inflorescences with
densely spiny peduncular bracts (pasco morphotype). A specimen from Ucayali (Gentry 25466) is similar, but
another from adjacent Junín (Macbride 5470) has more ovate pinnae and is referred to the large morphotype.
In western Acre, Brazil, and adjacent Peru (Ucayali) specimens are of the large morphotype. One
specimen (Henderson 1675) from western Acre on the border with Amazonas is of the ulei morphotype. Five
specimens from eastern Acre (Coêlho 28, Daly 9387, 11986, Figueiredo 342, 615) resemble those of the ulei
morphotype except for their pinnae with spinulose bases. They may represent hybrids with the sympatric D.
mitis subsp. ecirratus.
In Madre de Dios, Peru and western Bolivia specimens are all of ulei morphotype, although there is much
variation in fruit size.
Specimens from the Atlantic Coastal Forest of Brazil (polyacanthos morphotype) occur in two areas, with
northern outliers in Ceará, Alagoas, and Pernambuco. There are too few specimens from there to test for
differences between these areas. Along the Atlantic coast, D. polyacanthos occurs slightly more inland than
the sympatric D. orthacanthos.
20. Desmoncus prunifer Poepp. ex Martius (1823-1837: 148).
Atitara prunifera (Poepp. ex Martius) Kuntze (1891: 727). Desmoncus polyacanthos var. prunifer (Martius) Henderson,
1995: 233. Type:—PERU. Loreto: Maynas, Yurimaguas, December 1830, E. Poeppig 2148 (holotype G n.v.,
holotype image!, isotypes GOET n.v., P!). Epitype (here designated):—PERU. Loreto: Yurimaguas, lower Río
Huallaga, ca. 135 m, 22 August–9 September 1929, E. Killip & A. Smith 28045 (epitype US!).
Plants height no data; stems 0.8(0.7–0.8) cm diameter, branching no data. Leaf petioles 3.8(2.2–5.4) cm long;
rachises 46.5 cm long, 3.2(2.8–3.6) mm wide, the spines usually