Henk Van der Werff’s scientific contributions

Two new species of Aspidostemon Rohwer & H. G. Richt. (Lauraceae), A. dorrii van der Werff and A. glaber van der Werff, are described. Aspidostemon dorrii differs from related species in its long pedicels and few-flowered inflorescences. Aspidostemon glaber is distinct by virtue of its glabrous condition and profusely branched, many-flowered inflorescences.

Three new species of Lauraceae are described and illustrated and their relationships are discussed. One new species, Beilschmiedia vohemarensis van der Werff, is endemic to Madagascar and differs from the similar B. microphylla (Kosterm.) Kosterm. in its type of pubescence and habitat. Licaria monsalveae van der Werff is restricted to the Choco region of Colombia and differs from the similar L. brasiliensis (Nees) Kosterm. in its tomentulose, not appressed pubescence. Ocotea sacculifera van der Werff is only known from Bolivia and differs from all other species of Ocotea Aubl. in its pouchlike domatia.

In the course of reviewing publications on Lauraceae, several nomenclatural problems were found. Solving these problems led to the proposal of new names for Litsea pseudoelongata Kosterm. (L. siamensis van der Werff), Cryptocarya lancifolia Kosterm. (C. stenophylla van der Werff), and C. pauciflora Lauterb. & K. Schum. (C. oligantha van der Werff). Beilschmiedia velutinosa Kosterm. is a synonym of B. lanatella Kosterm., and Lindera spicata Kosterm. (1992) is a later homonym of L. spicata Kosterm. (1973). Nectandra roberto-andinoi (C. Nelson) C. Nelson is transferred to Damburneya Raf., and Ocotea ligulata van der Werff is transferred to Mespilodaphne Nees & Mart.

This is the fifth installment of a treatment of Ocotea Aubl. occurring above 1000-m altitude in the Andean countries of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. This part covers species with unisexual flowers lacking distinctive characters such as presence of domatia or erect or dense pubescence on leaves. Twenty-six species are treated, of which 12 are new to science. These are O. nidiae van der Werff from Venezuela; O. erugata van der Werff, O. gymnantha van der Werff, and O. lorda van der Werff from Colombia; O. ceronii van der Werff, O. depilis van der Werff, O. homeieri van der Werff, and O. pilosa van der Werff from Ecuador; and O. calcicola van der Werff, O. fulgida van der Werff, O. nana van der Werff, and O. tunquiensis van der Werff from Peru. Ocotea cernua (Nees) Mez is synonymized with O. leptobotra (Ruiz & Pav.) Mez and O. longifolia Kunth is synonymized with O. aurantiodora (Ruiz & Pav.) Mez.

A new species of Cinnamomum Schaeff. from the Pacific coast of Ecuador is described and discussed. Cinnamomum latifolium van der Werff is distinctive for its broad triplinerved leaves with canaliculate petioles, densely pubescent young twigs, and 2-locular inner stamens. In addition, six species recently described in Aiouea Aubl. should, in this author’s opinion, be placed within Cinnamomum. The new combinations C. ampullaceum (Lorea-Hern.) van der Werff, C. hirsutum (Lorea-Hern.) van der Werff, C. paratriplinerve (Lorea-Hern.) van der Werff, C. pseudoglaziovii (Lorea-Hern.) van der Werff, C. rubrinervium (Lorea-Hern.) van derWerff, and C. uninervium (Lorea-Hern.) van der Werff are accordingly published. The author citation of the recently transferred C. baitelloanum van der Werff & P. L. R. Moraes to Aiouea is rejected.

Chlorocardium esmeraldense van der Werff, a new species from the Pacific coast of Ecuador, is described and illustrated. The circumscription of Chlorocardium Rohwer, H. G. Richt. & van der Werff is widened. The genus now includes three species, one with tetramerous flowers and two with trimerous flowers.