Mabea frutescens Jabl.

Authority

Maguire, Bassett. 1967. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part VII. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 17: 1-439.

Family

Euphorbiaceae

Scientific Name

Mabea frutescens Jabl.

Description

Species Description - Fruticulus 3-10 dm altus; folia elliptica vel lanceolata 6-7 cm longa, 1.5-3 cm lata utrinque rotundata vel subacuta, coriacea, margine integerrima glandulas 3 mm inter se distantes gerente saepe arete revoluta, supra nitidula, subtus glauco-opaca, nervis dictyodromis, costis secundariis 10-11-jugis; thyrsus terminalis unicus 4.5 cm longus, 1.4 cm latus cymulae male 40-50, flores female geminos vel raro tres gerens; cymulas basim versus thyrsi 3-florae, apicem versus 2- vel 1-flores; flores male 1.5 mm diametro inclinati apicem versus spectantes, staminibus 11-13; pedicelli juniores crassi 1.5-0.5 mm longi supra rhachidem sessiles; bractae del-toideae 1-1.3 mm longae, glandulas virides gerentes; calycis lobi 3, obtuse 3-angu-lares; florum female pedicelli 2 mm longi; styli pars coalita 3.5 - 4 mm longa; sepala 6 elliptico-orbicularia cochleariformia imbricata eglandulosa; capsulae atro-griseae, furfuraceo-pulverulentae 1.2-1.5 cm latae, globosae, ad apicem rostratae; seminibus subglobosis albo-rubro-variegatis, 7 mm altis, ad apicem earunculatis.

Distribution and Ecology - Known only from type and syntype.

Discussion

Rio Atabapo. Shrub to 1 m high, buds purplish; fruit brown, infrequent, Cano Caname, 5 km below Guarinumo, elev. 125 m, savanna on left bank, Jun 8, 1959, Amazonas, Venezuela, John J. Wurdack & Lincoln S. Adderley 42846 (holotype NY); shrub to 0.3-0.5 m tall, flowers reddish, latex white, occasional, Cacagual Savanna, Rio Atabapo between San Fernando de Atabapo and Cano Temi, Colombia, elev. 135 m, 13 Sep. 1957, Bassett Maguire, John J. Wur-dack & William M. Keith 41444 (paratype NY).

This species is related to the previous one and resembles somewhat M. elegans in regard to the shape of leaves. However, the leaves are glaucous and glabrous below on M. frutescens, whereas on M. elegans they are green, and densely sprinkled with rusty, dendritic hairs. The thyrse of M. frutescens carries 3-flowered eymules at the base, whereas the entire thyrse of M. elegans consists of singleflowered cymules. Mabea orbiculata and M. frutescens are closely related, both having a shrublike habit, and the male part of the thyrse reveals a similar structure of the cymules, the basal cymules consisting of 3 flowered fascicles. The number of flowers decreases upward to two, and close to the apex to one; the male cymules are sessile, with the glands of subtending bracts conspicuous and about the size of the bracts. But the two species differ by the shape of leaves and size of capsules, the leaves of M. frutescens being lanceolate, narrow, and the capsule 1.2-1.5 cm in diameter, whereas the leaves of M. orbiculata are orbicular and the capsules only 6-7 mm in diameter.