''Xylopia densiflora'' is a species of

plant Plants are predominantly Photosynthesis, photosynthetic eukaryotes of the Kingdom (biology), kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all curr ...

in the

Annonaceae The Annonaceae are a family of flowering plants consisting of trees, shrubs, or rarely lianas commonly known as the custard apple family or soursop family. With 108 accepted genera and about 2400 known species, it is the largest family in the M ...

family. It is native to

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

Robert Elias Fries (Klas) Robert Elias Fries (11 July 1876, Uppsala – 29 January 1966, Stockholm), the youngest son of Theodor Magnus Fries (1832–1913) and grandson of Elias Magnus Fries(1794–1878) and an expert on mushrooms. A Swedish botanist who was a mem ...

, the botanist who first formally described the species, named it after its dense ( in Latin) clusters of flowers.

Description

It is a tree reaching 20 meters in height. The young branches are covered in coarse hairs that lay flat. Its lance-shaped, papery leaves are 7-10 by 2-2.5 centimeters. The leaves have gradually pointed bases and gradually narrowing tips. The leaves are hairless on their upper surfaces, and have long soft hairs that lay flat on their lower surfaces. Its petioles are 5-6 millimeters long. It has numerous densely clustered flowers. Its flowers have 3 oval

sepals A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

that have silky hairs on their outer surface. The sepals are 2-2.5 millimeters long. Its flower buds are shaped like rounded triangles. Its 6 petals are arranged in two rows of 3. The oblong, outer petals are 8-10 millimeters long and covered in grey, silky hairs on their outer surface.The linear to club-shaped to triangular, inner petals are about 9 millimeters long. The flowers have

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...

s that are 0.7-0.8 millimeters long. The flowers have up to 5 carpels. The styles bent, knee-like shape. The carpels have 2 millimeters long, hairless stigmas.

Reproductive biology

The pollen of ''Xylopia densiflora'' is shed as permanent tetrads.

Distribution and habitat

It has been observed growing in forests at elevations of 200 meters.

References

{{Taxonbar, from= Q15366829 Plants described in 1938 Flora of Peru Taxa named by Robert Elias Fries densiflora