Key to Species

(Species Annotations), Master key, Species Descriptions

1. Leaves pubescent to the touch ... 2

2. Blades more than 25 cm long, elliptic, lateral vns flat above, fine erect pubescence ... LAUR-16

2. Blades less than 25 cm long, weakly obovate, lat vns 7-10, sparse erect hairs become lost, leaves often subopposite at twig tips ... LAUR-18

1. Leaves glabrous to the touch (but may have minute hairs visible with hand lens) ...

3. Blades ovate, weakly bullate w/ wavy margin, 5-7 lat veins ... LAUR-15 (Ocotea brenesii, cf.)

3. Blades elliptic ...

4. Twigs hollow, blades more than 30 cm long ... LAUR-19

4. Twigs solid, blades mostly less than 30 cm long ...

5. Blades bullate ...

6. Lateral veins 5-6, strongly ascending, dorsum not very shiny ... LAUR 6b.

6. Lateral veins 9-10, with a broad angle to midvein, dorsum very shiny ... LAUR-17

5. Blade not bullate ...

7. Blade narrow, less than 7 cm ...

8. Lateral veins strongly ascending, blade base curled under ... LAUR-20 (Nectandra membranacea, cf.)

8. Lateral veins not strongly ascending, blade not curled under at base, third from twig tip very small and dorsal ... LAUR-13 (Licaria sp?)

7. Blade broader, more than 7 cm wide ...

9. Blades more than 30 cm long ... LAUR-1

9. Blades less than 30 cmm long, pale blue-grn below ... LAUR-14 (Persea americana, cf.)

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Species Annotations (Key)

LAUR-1, cf (Lg obovate with short petioles) (May 2000, col. Eladio)

Twig- solid, glab, subrd, grn, no lenticels

Leaf bud- elongate acuminate, sparse extremely tiny appressed hairs, cannot see with lens

Pet- 10-20 mm, D-shape, sharp d-l angles, thick, grn, glab

Blade- to 16 x 37 cm, glab, ellip to obovate, acute (often abrupt), base obtuse to acute, free or weakly decurrent, midvn strg raised D, late vns 8-10, keeled D, expr V, blend w/ lamina, vy weak looping close to margin, lat vns clearly parallel midvn at base, 3ry vns parallel and expr V, w/o domatia, leathery, no odor.

LAUR-6b

Twig- solid, subrd, glab, no ridges or lenticels

Leaf bud- dense appressed beige hairs

Pet- 15-18 mm, D-shape, w/o d-l flanges, but angled, minute hairs, free fm blade.

Blade- to 11 x 20 cm, glab, brd ellipt, abrupt acum, base acute, free, margin wavy, midvn expr D, lat vns 5-6, expr D & V, strg ascend and looping, few minute hairs, 3ry vns weak expr V, blade bullate between 2d vns, papery, no domatia.

LAUR-EL-13 (Licaria smal leaf?)

Large tree with diameter to 1.2 m

Twig-solid, glad, fine keels on d-l sides, a pair arising at each petiole base

Leaf bud- appressed shiny orange-beige hairs

Pet- 5-8 mm, D-shape, fine d-l rodges, sparse hairs and soon glab.

Blade- to 4.5 x 18 cm, glab, narroew ellip, long acum, base acute and somewhat decurrent, midvn raised D, lat vns 9-13, minutely raised D, weak expr V, not contrasting with lamina, blade very flat, not bullate, new twigs usually with a very small dorsal leaf 3rd from tip, no domatia, paper-leathery.

LAUR-EL-14 (Persea americana, big leaf)

Twig- solid, rd, glab, few large lenticels

Leaf bud- short and stubby, appressed tan hairs

Pet- 24-32 mm, glab, round w/ weak dorsal groove, free

Blade- to 12 x 19 cm, glab, broad obovate, blunt to acute, base acute to obtuse, often unequal, midvn expr D, pale yellow, later vns 9-11, flat to sunken D, expr V, lamina pale blue-grn V, minute erect hairs V, no domatia, papery, bunched at twig tips.

LAUR-EL-15 (Ocotea brenesii or cernua)

Twig- solid,grooved and compressed, sparse appr pubes, no lenticels or rodges

Leaf bud- appress tan-brn hairs

Pet- 12-1 mm, glab, D-shape, grooved distally, fine pub semi-perm

Blade- to 8 x 18 cm, glab, sparse appr pub, broad ellip to weakly ovate, long acum, base obtuse, margin wavy, weak bullate, misvn expr D, lat vns 5-7, expr D & V, papery, no domatia.

LAUR-EL-16 (Rodostemanodaphne, cf)

Twig- solid, subrd, weak grooves, short erect dense pubes

Leaf bud- shiny org-tan long hairs, sub-appressed

Pet- 17-21 mm, almost round, d-l angles vy weak, pubes

Blade- to 12 x 32 cm, glab dorsally, minute erect pubes ventrally, can barely detect by touch, ellip, long acum, base obtuse, free, midvn weak expr D, sunken distally, lat vns 10-12, looping, flat and sunken D, expr V, 3y vns quite parrallel, often with tiny dorsal leaf 3rd from twig tip, vy weak bullate, no domatia, thick papery.

LAUR-EL-17

Twig- solid, round, no ridges, minute appres hairs when young, soon glabrous

Leaf bud- dense appressed beige hairs

Pet- 10-15 mm, d-l angles forming distinct flanges, reddish when young.

Blade- to 9 x 19 cm, glab (minute appres hairs on veins below), broad ellip, abrupt short acum, base abrupt acute, midvn expr D, lat vns 9-10, minutely keeled D, expr V, strg looping, bullate betw 2y and major 3r vns, 3y vns expr V, dorsum very shiny, venter pale matt grn, no domatia, papery, 2y vns w/ broad angle to midvn.

LAUR-EL-18

Twig- solid, subrd to compressed, weal grooves, no ridges, smooth, semi-erect fine pubes when young.

Leaf bud- dense appressed beige hairs.

Pet- 11-16 mm, D-shape w/ fine d-l flanges, semi-erect hairs

Blade- to 9 x 20 cm, most smaller, erect hairs on V, barely detectable by touch and becoming lost w/ age, weak obovate, abrupt short acum, base acvute, free, midvn expr D, later vns 7-10, minutely expr D, expr V, no domatia, leathery-fleshy, often bunched at twig tips and subopposite (as in Beil.)

LAUR-EL-19 (Ocotea nr dendrodaphne)

Twig- hollow, glab, subround, ellongate lenticels

Leaf bud- glab, elongate acum, a tiny bud in each leaf axil.

Pet- 20-23 mm, glab, reddish above, D-shape w/ d-l flanges

Blade- to 14 x 42 cm, glab, narrow ellipt, acute, base obtuse to rounded, midvn strg keeled D, lat vns 13-16, wk looping, fine keel D, expr V, no domatia, leathery-fleshy, strong odor.

LAUR-EL-20 (Nectandra membranacea, cf)

Twig- solid, grooved and ridged, minute hairs when young

Leaf bud- multipe buds clumped together, appressed org-tan hairs

Pet- 5-9 mm, puberul, round at base, D-shape distally and slightly compressed with d-l flanges, free.

Blade- to 7 x 18 cm, many smaller, glab, ellip, acute to acum, base obtuse, often curled under, free, midvn weak expr D, lat vns 5-7, flat to weak expr D, strg expr V, no domatia, vns strg ascending in basal half, odor strg, leathery, sort of matt olive grn.