Tetrapterys styloptera A.Juss.

Authority

Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part XI. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 32: 1-391.

Family

Malpighiaceae

Scientific Name

Tetrapterys styloptera A.Juss.

Description

Species Description - Woody vines, rarely shrubs 1 m or taller, the stems sericeous to glabrate. Lamina of the larger leaves (5-)7.5-15 cm long, (2.5-)3.5-7 cm wide, ovate or rarely elliptical, obtuse or rounded at the base, acuminate or rarely acute at the apex, glabrate above, thinly sericeous to glabrate below, the hairs fine, white, strongly appressed, usually with several small impressed marginal glands, otherwise eglandular; petiole (3-)4-9(-11) mm long, sericeous to glabrate, eglandular or bearing 2-4 small glands; stipules none or minute, up to 0.2 mm long, interpetiolar, borne near base of petiole. Inflorescence an axillary pseudoraceme, usually shorter than vegetative leaves, sericeous to glabrate, the flowers decussate; bracts 1.5-3 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, straight or recurved, eglandular or with tiny basal glands; peduncle 1.5-6 mm long; bracteoles 2-5 mm long, (1-)1.5-3.5 mm wide, often recurved or revolute, apical or borne below apex of peduncle, very often bearing 1-2 abaxial glands. Pedicel (2.5-)3.5-6(-10) mm long. Sepals all biglandular, the glands (2.5-)3-4 mm long, narrow, compressed. Petals yellow, glabrous or abaxially sparsely sericeous, entire or, usually, denticulate, obovate, the lateral 4 with the claw 1-1.7 mm long, the limb 4-5.5(-7) mm long, 2.8-5 mm wide; posterior petal similar, the claw thicker and sometimes slightly longer, the limb narrower. Filaments (1.5-)2-2.3 mm long, broad, basally connate, usually sericeous; anthers (1.3-) 1.5-1.8 mm long, glabrous or, usually, with a basal tuft of hairs, reflexed. Styles (1.8-)2.2-2.8 mm long, straight or diverging, glabrous except at base, the apex internally stigmatic and dorsally rounded, truncate, or very slightly hooked. Samara sericeous to glabrate on the nut and glabrate on the wings, the 4 lateral wings (7-)8-14 mm long, 2.5-5 mm wide, subequal, the upper 2 often slightly shorter and narrower; dorsal wing 2-4 mm wide, entire to coarsely dissected; nut with several slender outgrowths between dorsal and lateral wings, often exceeding the dorsal wing.

Discussion

2. Tetrapterys styloptera Adr. Jussieu, Ann. Sci. Nat. T Ser. Bot. 13: 262. 1840. Bunchosia squarrosa Grisebach, Linnaea 22: 11. 1849. Type: Otto 962, Caroni, Bolivar, Venezuela, Nov flr (holotype GOET? isotype W ). Tetrapterys squarrosa (Grisebach) Grisebach in Martius, Fl. Bras. 12(1): 87. 1858. Tetrapterys methystica Schultes, Bot. Mus. Leafl. 16: 202. 1954. Type. Schultes & Lopez 10184, Ira-Igarape, affl. Rio Tikie, Puerto Makus, Amazonas, Brazil (GH!). Type. Mathews 1464, Tarapoto, Peru (holotype P, isotype K). This is an exceedingly variable species. Among the atypical collections included here, special mention should be made of Wurdack & Adderley 43196 and 43254. The former has unusually wide leaves, long open pseudoracemes, and very large bracteoles. The latter has long, narrow, reflexed leaves and small bracteoles.

Distribution

Distribution. Common along rivers in northern South America. Collections from Guayana: GUYANA. Potaro River, vic. of Kaieteur FaHs, elev 420 m. Cowan & Soderstrom 1794 & 2222 (NY), Maguire & Fanshawe 23248 & 23302 (GH, NY); Karaurieng River, upper Mazaruni, elev 1250 m, Maguire & Fanshawe 32300 (K, MICH, NY, US). VENEZUELA. Bolívar: Río Hacha, 6°15'N, 62°47'W, Agostini 367 (VEN); Río Apacara, elev 400 m, Bernardi 1573 (VEN); Río Ikabaru, elev 450 m, Bernardi 6568 & 6666 (NY); Río Caroní,

Guyana South America| Venezuela South America|