Xylopia nitida

{{speciesbox |image = Xylopia nitida.jpg |image_caption = Botanical illustration of ''Xylopia nitida'' |status=LC |status_system=IUCN3.1 |status_ref=<ref name=IUCNstatus>{{cite iucn |author=Crispim, G. |author2=Arguello, L. |author3=Martinelli, G. |author4=Erkens, R.H.J. |year=2020 |title=''Xylopia nitida'' |volume=2020 |article-number=e.T140938888A180243095 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T140938888A180243095.pt |access-date=30 June 2024}}</ref> |genus= Xylopia |species= nitida |authority= Dunal |synonyms=''Unona concolor'' Willd. ''Uvaria zeylanica'' Aubl. ''Waria zeylanica'' Aubl. ''Xylopia aromatica'' Baill. ''Xylopia cinerea'' Sandwith ''Xylopia nitida'' var. ''nervosa'' R.E.Fr. ''Xylopicrum nitidum'' (Dunal) Kuntze }}

'''''Xylopia nitida''''' is a species of plant in the Annonaceae family. It is native to Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:76202-1 |title= Xylopia nitida Dunal |author= |date=n.d. |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=June 21, 2022}} </ref> Michel Félix Dunal, the botanist who first formally described the species, named it after the shiny (''{{lang|la|nitidus}}'' in Latin) upper surface of its leaves.<ref name=Stearn2004>{{cite book | last = Stearn | first = William | title = Botanical Latin | publisher = Timber Press David & Charles | location = Portland, Ore. Newton Abbot | year = 2004 | isbn = 978-0-88192-627-9 }}</ref><ref name=Dunal1817>{{cite book |last=Dunal |first=Michel-Felix |date=1817 |title=Monographie de la Famille des Anonacées |trans-title= Monograph of the Anonaceae family |language= fr, la |location= Paris |publisher= Treuttel et Würtz |page=122|doi=10.5962/t.173118 }}</ref>

==Description== It is a tree reaching 20 meters in height. The young branches are covered in dense pale brown hairs, but as they mature they become hairless. Its narrow, elliptical, papery leaves are 8.5-13 by 3-4.5 centimeters. The leaves have pointed bases and tapering tips, with the tapering portion 5-10 millimeters long. The leaves are shiny and hairless on their upper surfaces, and have dense, silvery-white to brown hairs that lay flat on their lower surfaces. Its petioles are 2-6 millimeters long. Its Inflorescences occur in the axils of leaves or fallen leaves. Each inflorescence has up to 8 flowers. Each flower is on a pedicel that is 1-13 by 1-3 millimeters. Its flowers have 3 oval to triangular sepals that are 1-2 millimeters long. The lower part of the sepals are fused at their margins to form a cup-shaped calyx that is 4-5 millimeters long. Its 6 petals are arranged in two rows of 3. The orange outer petals are 18-20 by 3-5 millimeter. The orange inner petals are 15 by 1-2 millimeters. Its flowers have 170-270 stamen that are 1-1.5 millimeters long. The stamen are attached to a receptacle that forms a cone that is 1.8-2.2 by 1.2-1.5 millimeters. Its flowers have 20-30 carpels. Its stigma are capped with soft hairs. The hairless, green to red, narrow, cylindrical fruit occur in clusters of 10-27. The fruit are 10-60 millimeters long with longitudinal grooves. Each fruit has 4-6 egg-shaped seeds that are 5-6.5 millimeters long.<ref name=Duke1962>{{cite journal |last1=Maas |first1=Paul J. |last2=Mass |first2=Hiltje |last3=Miralha |first3=M.S. |date=2007 |title= Flora da Reserva Ducke, Amazonas, Brasil: Annonaceae |trans-title= Flora of the Ducke Reserve, Amazonas, Brazil: Annonaceae |url= https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51290085 |language= pt, en |journal= Rodriguésia: Revista do Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro |volume=58 |issue=3 |pages=617–663}}</ref><ref name=Pontes-Pires2021>{{cite journal |last1=Pontes-Pires |first1=Aline Fernandes |last2=Barbosa |first2=Maria Regina De V. |last3=Johnson |first3=David M. |date=2021|title= Xylopia maasiana (Annonaceae), a New Species from the Brazilian Amazon, and Taxonomic Notes on Xylopia nitida Dunal |journal= Systematic Botany |volume=46 |issue=2 |pages=273–279 |doi= 10.1600/036364421X16231782047424|s2cid=237217245 }}</ref>

===Reproductive biology=== The pollen of ''Xylopia nitida'' is shed as permanent tetrads.<ref name=Walker1971>{{cite journal |last=Walker |first=James W. |date=1971 |title=Pollen Morphology, Phytogeography, and Phylogeny of the Annonaceae |jstor=41764703 |journal=Contributions from the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University |volume=202 |issue=202 |pages=1–130|doi=10.5962/p.272704 |s2cid=249081277 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

===Distribution and habitat=== It has been observed growing in subtropical forests, tropical moist lowlands, and savanna.<ref name=IUCNstatus/><ref name=Pontes-Pires2021/>

==Uses== Its leaf oils contain terpinenes, cymene, and limonene.<ref name=Maia2005>{{cite journal |last1=Maia |first1=José Guilherme S. |last2=Andrade |first2=Eloisa Helena A. |last3=Da Silva |first3=Ana Carla M. |last4=Oliveira |first4=Jorge |last5=Carreira |first5=Léa Maria M. |last6=Araújo |first6=Josiele S. |date=2005|title= Leaf volatile oils from four Brazilian Xylopia species |journal= Flavour and Fragrance Journal |volume=20 |issue=5 |pages=474–477 |doi= 10.1002/ffj.1499}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Plants described in 1817 Category:Flora of Brazil Category:Flora of Colombia Category:Flora of Ecuador Category:Flora of French Guiana Category:Flora of Guyana Category:Flora of Suriname Category:Flora of Venezuela Category:Taxa named by Michel Félix Dunal nitida