Remijia densiflora subsp. stenopetala (Standl. & Steyerm.) Steyerm.

Authority

Maguire, Bassett. 1972. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part IX. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 23: 1-832.

Family

Rubiaceae

Scientific Name

Remijia densiflora subsp. stenopetala (Standl. & Steyerm.) Steyerm.

Description

Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Estado Bolívar of Venezuelan Guayana. VENEZUELA. Bolívar: Auyan-tepui, Salto Angel, alrededores caida de agua, Valle de Orquideas, parte noroeste, alt 1200 m, 17 Aug 1968, Foldats 7194; Uaipán-tepui, plateau at southern foot of the peak, at edge of south-facing escarpment, alt 1000 m, Koyama & Agostini 7368; Sororopán-tepui, north-facing slope forest, middle slopes, alt 1500-1700 m, 16 Dec 1952, Maguire & Wurdack 33831; Ptari-tepui, vicinity of "Misia Kathy Camp," flat portion of south-facing shoulder, alt 1585 m, 28 Oct 1944, Steyermark 59476; Auyan-tepui, alt 1100 m, Dec 1937-Jan 1938, Tate 1176; Auyan-tepui, alt 1850 m, Tate 1188; without data, Cardona 2347; Cerro Sarisariñame, cabeceras de los rios Canaracuni y Merevari, Alto Caura, alt 600-800 m, 6 Jan 1942, Cardona 383; Río Carún, Alto Paragua, alt 850 m, Feb 1948, Cardona 2475; montañas del Cerro Papelon, Río Avequi, region de Uriman, alt 500-700 m, 5 Sep 1954, Bernardi 1690; Auyan-tepui, cumbre de la parte norte de la sectión sur (division occidental del cerro), sureste del "Second Wall," vecindad del campamento sur, a lo largo del Río Churún, alt 1690 m, 3 May 1964, Steyermark 93279; margen de la selva, Kavanayen, alt 1300 m, 27 May 1946, Lasser 1768, 1794; orillas del Río Caroní, cerca del salto Euto-uarima, alt 720 m, 8 Oct 1946; Chimanta Massif, Torono-tepui, below Base Camp along Río Tirica to mouth of Río Torono, alt 500-515 m, 9 Mar 1955, Steyermark & Wurdack 1308; Chimanta Massif, along base of southeast-facing sandstone bluffs of Chimanta-tepui (Torono-tepui), from south corner northeastward, alt 1700 m, 21 May 1953, Steyermark 75530; Chimantá Massif, south western-facing forested slopes of Chimantá-tepui (Torono-tepui), between Base Camp and steep slopes above valley of Río Tirica, alt 1000-1400 m, 15 May 1953, Steyermark 75397; Sororopán-tepui, north-facing slope forest, alt 1500 m, 17 Dec 1946, Maguire & Wurdack 33926; swamp by Río Aponguao by Km 146, trail between Km 134 and 150, near headwaters of Río Aponguao, southeast of Luepa, alt 1200 m, 24-25 Apr 1960, Steyermark & Nilsson 736; mixed montane forest above escarpment of La Escalera, Alto Río Cuyuni, Río Uiri-yuk, alt 850 m, 20-21 Aug 1962, B. Maguire, Steyermark & C. K. Maguire 46858; forested summit of Sierra de Lema, west of waterfall of headwaters of Río Chicanán, above high north-facing sandstone bluffs, 80 km al suroeste de El Dorado, 6° 5' N, 62° W, alt 700 m, 29 Aug 1961, Steyermark 89625.

Discussion

Remijia stenopetala Standley & Steyermark, Fieldiana Bot. 28: 610. fig. 134. 1953.

Type. Wooded slopes of Quebrada O-parumá, between Santa Teresita de Kavanayen and Rio Pacairao (tributary of Río Mouak), Bolívar, Venezuela, alt 1065-1220 m, 20-21 Nov 1944, Julian A. Steyermark 60359 (holotype F).

When originally described, Remijia stenopetala was differentiated from R. laevifolia Standi, by the longer calyx lobes and foliar differences. A careful study of these taxa shows that they are all part of the variation pertaining to the taxon, R. densiflora Benth., and cannot be maintained as distinct species. On the other hand, the longer calyx lobes and floral bracts of R. stenopetala, together with a geographical range eastward in the Venezuelan Guayana, are considered sufficient grounds for maintaining it as a subspecies.

Remijia densiflora and R. stenopetala are similar in having densely and many-flowered inflorescences, and the leaves vary from oblanceolate to oblong or elliptic-oblong, from 8-15 pairs of lateral nerves varying in prominence below, from leaf surfaces beneath moderately appressed-pubescent to glabrate, and with midrib beneath finely and moderately strigose to glabrous. The chief differences between these taxa are found in the length of the floral bracts and shape and length of the calyx lobes, in R. densiflora subsp densiflora and varieties with bracts 1-6 mm long and calyx lobes suborbicular-ovate or deltoid to lanceolate and 0.5-2.5 mm long in anthesis or 2-3 mm long in fruit, whereas in R. densiflora subsp stenopetala the floral bracts are more elongated, 4-19 mm long, and the calyx lobes are linear-lanceolate to subulate, varying from 2.7-4.5 mm long in anthesis to 3-9 mm long in fruiting stage.

Material from Cerro Guaiquinima (Maguire 33077) referred to R. densiflora subsp densiflora var densiflora f densiflora is somewhat intermediate in character, having linear-lanceolate to broadly lanceolate calyx lobes 2.5-4 mm long and floral bracts 4-6 mm long. The Cardona 2984 and 2995 collections from Meseta de Jaua in the Alto Caura are also intermediate between R. densiflora subsp densiflora and subsp stenopetala, having calyx lobes linear-lanceolate to broadly lanceolate, thus varying towards subsp stenopetala, but measuring only 1.5-3 mm long, thus resembling more the size of those of subsp densiflora. Both tetramerous and pentamerous flowers occur in subsp stenopetala, and may appear even in the same flower cluster. Heterostyly is also common in this taxon, with both short- and long-styled flowers.

Distribution

Distribution. Estado Bolívar of Venezuelan Guayana.

Venezuela South America| Guyana South America|