Marlierea umbraticola (Kunth) O.Berg

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1958. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part III. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-156.

  • Family

    Myrtaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Marlierea umbraticola (Kunth) O.Berg

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - Amazonian Bolivia and Brazil to eastern Colombia (the type from Maypures on the Rio Orinoco) and southern Venezuela. VENEZUELA: Amazonas: Esmeralda, upper Orinoco, elevation 130 m, May 18, 1942, L. Williams 15483 (F). Solano, lower Eio Casiquiare, elevation 102 m, March 12, 1942, Williams 14777 (F). Costa poblada del Caño Macasi, Capihuara, alto Rio Casiquiare, elevation 120 m, May 27, 1942, Williams 15592 (F). Puerto Ayacucho, elevation ca. 100 m, May 1931, Holt & Blake 801 (F, US). Locality uncertain: In Vasiva Lacus ripis, Jan 1854, Spruce 3316 (K).

  • Discussion

    Myrtus umbraticola H. B. K. Nov. Gen. & Sp. 7: 258 (folio ed. 199). 1825.

    Marlierea insculpta Diels, Verh. Bot. Ver. Brandenb. 48: 188. 1907.

    For description see Berg in Mart. Fl. Bras. 141: 35 (1857).

    A collection from Maroa, Rio Guainia, Amazonas, Venezuela, elevation 127 m, L. Williams 14420, 11-2-1942 (US), probably represents an undescribed species of Marlierea, but the material is insufficient for positive identification. The specimen bears nearly mature fruits, which have persistent on them the irregularly broken calyx-margins, and the inflorescence appears to be that of Marlierea. The plants are nearly glabrous but bear the remains of what was apparently a sparse appressed pubescence of long pale hairs; the leaves are large and coarse, 7-10 cm wide, 16-20 cm long or more, on petioles 2 mm in diameter, 12-15 mm long; the midvein is convex above; the panicles are 12 cm long, many-flowered; the lateral veins are well differentiated, 12-15 pairs prominent beneath; the marginal vein is 3-7 mm from margin. The plant suggests M. macrophylla in many respects, but the petioles are longer and the leaves narrowly rounded at the base and the pubescence is of longer hairs. In the absence of flowers, and without the presence of more distinctive characters of leaves and pubescence, it would be premature to describe this as a new species.

  • Distribution

    Amazonian Bolivia and Brazil to eastern Colombia (the type from Maypures on the Rio Orinoco) and southern Venezuela.

    Venezuela South America|