Schnizlein A C F H C (1857) Flora Brasiliensis, Enumeratio plantarum in Brasilia hactenus detectarum quas suis aloirumque botanicis studiis descriptas et methodo naturali digestas partim icone illustratas, Monachii et Lipsiae (Munich & Leipzig), Vol. 4(1): column 284-5, table 81, figure 1
Common names
Boskoffie
… Language: unknown; Country: Suriname [Specimen at K: Lanjouw J, Lindeman J C 2445 (1949Mar07)] Gangouti blanc
… Language: Creole; Country: French Guiana [Specimen at K: Grenand 1577 (1978Aug14)] Mulzisili
… Language: Wayapi; Country: French Guiana [Specimen at K: Prevost MF, Grenand P N: 915 (1980Aug03)] Tahu mwa
… Language: Arawak; Country: French Guiana [Specimen at K: Grenand 1577 (1978Aug14)]
Types
Holotype: M. Poiteau s.n. 1819-1821 at B (destroyed: confirmed 13 July 2009)
Leaf: oblong to elliptical, base rounded, entire, large, underside densely pubescent-tomentose hairs; spike: parts distinct, fruiting sparsely; capsule: ovate, acute point, pilose.
Branches straight, zig-zag at nodes, internode attaining nearly 2.5 cm; bark: grey-brown, moderately smooth with small lengthwise grooves, pubescent towards the branch tip and partly preceeding leaves; buds 10-12 in leaf axils,
leaf tip acuminate; Leaf distichous, spreading, stipule sheath adnate around stem, unequal sides pointing upwards, short; Petiole short (5 cm long), lamina elliptical-oblong, 12.5 cm long, 6.25 cm wide, base rounded, apex short acuminate, entire, veins conspicuous, midrib excurrent; 8 very thin secondary veins hidden by diffuse and pubescent hairs, anatomosing, a little horizontal, simple and moderately forked; Leaf lower surface one midrib with dense short pilose-tomentose hairs, upper surface sparsely pubescent, shiny, margin revolute; Stipule base sheath narrow, on the inside of the petiole, deciduous, pubescent; Inflorescences emerging partly out of the branch, barely arising without leaves, continuous from the 6th stem internode onwards; Spikes circa 15, clustered, reaching to 1.25 cm length (juvenile); rachis hirsute; Flowers 15-20 lower sterile, 2-3 upper barely fertile; Bracts squamate, apiculate; Fruit capsule, oblong, three sided, pointed, pubescent, loculi dehiscent; placenta filiformis, valves barely funiculate, protruding towards the tip, basis extended; Seed frequently one, pendulous, obtuse-ellipticum, testa moderately smooth, producing few in descending chalaza, conspicuous filiformis seam
