Rapatea membranacea Maguire
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett. 1965. The Botany of the Guayana Highland. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 12 (3): 1-285.
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Family
Rapateaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Clumped perennial herb of marshy places by streams or in depressions in Cunuria forest, leaves rugose, flowers yellow, fruit head oblong-squarish, abundant, Membaru-Kurupung Trail, alt. 750 m, Pakaraima Mountains, British Guiana, 30 Oct 1951, Bassett Maguire & D. B. Fanshawe 32365 (holotype NY). Paratypes. Herb to 1 m, leaves rugose, flowers yellow, visited by small bee; herbage extremely mucilaginous, common in marshy areas along ridge trail, upper Partang River, alt. 700 m , affluent Mazaruni River, Pakaraima Mountains, British Guiana, Tillett, Tillett d Boyan 43972; Partang River at alt. 824 m, Tillett, Tillett & Boyan 44865.
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Herbae terrestres perennes vulgo 8-10 dm altae ; caudice breve erecto; vaginis compressis equitantibus, aliquantum ventricosis, 20-25 cm longis, 5-6 cm latis conduplicatis; apice brevi-auriculatis, marginis anguste scariosis; laminis membranaceis, lineari-lanceolatis 6-10 dm longis, 5-8 cm latis, longiacuminatis, valde transverse rugulosis; nervis primariis 10-14 prominentibus; pedunculis aliquot, 3-4 dm longis, valde nervatis vel subcostatis, compressis subalatis, 8-10 mm latis; capitulo oblongo, 6-12 cm longo, vulgo 4-5 cm diam; bracteis involucralibus 2, anguste lanceolatis 20-30 cm longis, 3.0-4.5 cm latis, acute attenuatis, mediis axibus capitulis adnatis, basibus 4—8 cm in pedunculo decurrentibus; receptaculo paleaceo, paleis 4-7 mm longis, scariosis, anguste lanceolatis; spieulis numerosis, radiatis, simpliciter vel pauci aggregate dispositis, pedicellis 1-3 mm longis; bracteolis ca. 10, essentialiter non-gradatis, maioribus submembranaceis, lanceolatis, 8-14 mm longis, distale debiliter 3-nervis, apice subrigido, pungenti-acuminato; petalis 3, unguiculatis, unguibus 10-12 mm longis, hyalinis, laterale connatis, laminis rotundo-obovatis, vulgo breviapiculatis, multivenis, in vivo flavo; staminibus 6, tubo corolla adnatis, filamentis 1.5 mm longis; antheris ca. 6 mm longis, 4-locularibus, appendicibus eochlearif ormibus, brevistipitatis, ca. 1.5 mm longis; granis pollinis subsphaeroidalibus, axibus equatorialibus 30-35 µ, longis, axibus polaribus 43-49 µ longis, aperturis zonisulcatis, sporodermis minute scorbieulatis, verrucosis aperturarum elongatis; ovariis 3-locularibus, loculis uniovulatis, ovulis basilaribus, capsulis induratis, loeulicidalibus; semine solitario oblongo ca. 5 mm longo, 1.75 mm diam, biapiculato.
Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Known only from swampy forested areas in the northeastern Pakaraima Mountains, British Guiana, at median altitudes of 700-1000 m.