Curtia tenuifolia (Aubl.) Knobl.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Gentianaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Curtia tenuifolia (Aubl.) Knobl.

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Colombia and Venezuela to central Brazil. Diminutive annual plants of moist often sandy places. VENEZUELA. Territorio Amazonas: prope Esmeralda ad flumen Orinoco, Dec 1853, Spruce 3242 (942) (NY), var gracilis; Esmeralda, wet savannas, 825 ft, 19 Oct 1929, Tate 253 (NY); Esmeralda, 21 Aug 1944, Steyermark 57765 (NY, F, VEN); flowers white, on bare sand in savanna, 800 m alt, Cerro Moriche, 14 Jan 1951, Maguire, Cowan & Wurdack 30910 (NY, VEN); Cerro Moriche, 17 Jan 1951, Maguire, Cowan & Wurdack 30979 (NY, VEN); flowers white, savanna west base, Cerro Paru, black sandy soil, 200 m alt, 16 Feb 1951, Cowan & Wurdack 31504 (NY, VEN); flowers white, abundant, moist area, Sabana Huachapana, 30 km above Santa Barbara, Alto Orinoco, 125 m alt, Maguire, Wurdack & Keith 41473 (NY, VEN). Estado Bolívar: Arabupu Savanna, 4200 ft, Roraima, 1 Jan 1928, Tate 237 (NY); Philipp Swamp, Roraima, 5100-5200 ft, 7 Nov 1927, Tate 315 (NY); Río Kukenan, Gran Sabana, 1065 m alt, 3 Oct 1944, Steyermark 59202 (F, NY, VEN); Ciudad Píar, 300 m alt, 1 May 1954, Maguire & Wurdack 35753 (NY); Caño Azul, Hato Vergarefia, 470 m alt, 23 Oct 1954, Wurdack & Guppy 180 (NY, VEN); Uriman, 393 m, 8 Jan 1955, Steyermark & Wurdack 16 (NY, VEN); 8 Jan 1955, Steyermark & Wurdack 18 (NY, VEN); Cerro Gavilan, 100-300 m, 21 Dec 1955, Wurdack & Monachino 40905 (NY, VEN); Luepa, Gran Sabana, 1220 m, 24-25 Apr 1960, Steyermark & Nilsson 669 (NY, VEN): Uaipan-tepui, 1200 m, 2 Mar 1967, Koyama & Agostini 7390 (NY, VEN). GUYANA. Kaieteur Plateau, 400 m alt, 7 May 1944, Maguire & Fanshawe 23284 (NY, K).

  • Discussion

    1. Curtia tenuifolia (Aublet) Knoblauch, Bot. Centralbl. 60: 357. 1894. Fig 73. Exacum tenuifolium Aubl., PI. Guiane 70. t26,f2. 1775. Apophragma tenuifolium Griseb., Gen. et Spec. 163. 1839. Schuebleria tenuifolium D. Don, Gen. Syst. Gard. IV. 202. Schuebleria tenella Benth., Ann. Nat. Hist. ser. II. 2: 442. 1839. Type. Guyane Française, Aublet, presumably at Paris or the British Museum. Not seen by me. Curtia tenuifolia, which has been variously interpreted as having developed several varieties and forms, is the most widespread species of the genus. It is the only common and widespread species in Guayana.

  • Distribution

    Distribution. Colombia and Venezuela to central Brazil. Diminutive annual plants of moist often sandy places.

    Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Brazil South America| Guyana South America|