Type : Guyane française, J. Martin (HT: [ex hb. Lindl.]).
D'après Sandwith (Kew Bull., 1949(4):
493. 16/02/1950, fide
p. iii): "This was placed with doubt in
Diospyros by both Martius [Fl. Bras., 7:
8. 1856] and Hiern [Trans. Cambridge Philos. Soc., 12:
269-
270. début 04/1873, fide TL-2,
2746]; the latter, in fact, who saw the type, suggested that it was perhaps a new genus. The specimen in Martius' herbarium has recently been lent to me by the authorities of the Brussels Herbarium. The label reads follows: "
Diospyros xylopioides Mart. Guiana [in Lindley's hand]. Lindley dedit 1826". The true source of the specimen has thus not been previously revealed, since it appeared from Hiern's treatment of the species that it had been collected in Guiana by Martius himself, while the latter gave no collector's name and did not mention Lindley as the donor.
To my surprise, there is no doubt whatever as to the identity of this plant. It is not a
Diospyros, but is certainly
Xylopia frutescens Aubl., agreeing perfectly with this well-known Guiana species in all essential characters, including even the very young flower buds which can be matched with similar buds on a Kew specimen collected by Martin in French Guiana. It is, indeed, quite possible that Martius' material came from part of the Martin gathering which was in Lindley's possession and should now be sought in his herbarium at Cambridge University.
It is strange that Martius stressed the resemblance of his specimen to
Xylopia frutescens without realising its identity. Hiern, on the other hand, was wide of the mark in saying that the foliage was "exceedingly like that of Maba sericea". Fortunately, no name change is involved:
Diospyros xylopioides Mart. becomes a synonym of
Xylopia frutescens Aubl."
