Graffenrieda reticulata Wurdack
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1958. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part III. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-156.
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Family
Melastomataceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - G. fantasticae Schult. & Sm. affinis et in habitu similis, sed foliis trinerviis nervulis bene reticulatis fructibus maioribus. Arbor parva, ramis erassis paulo quadrangularibus (cum cortice laevi sulcato) primum rufo-squamulosis mox glabratis. Petioli 1-1.5 cm; lamina glabra 6-10 X 3-6 cm, elliptica, apice rotundata vel paulo retusa, basi late acute vel anguste obtusa, trinervia nervis lateralibus maxime 4-8 mm a marginibus distantibus. nervulis supra obscuris subtus leviter elevatis seeundariis numerosis tertiaris bene reticulatis. Panicula glabra; flores sessiles cum eharacteribus generis; alabastra 4-mera, ovario 3-loculari apice rotundato glabro. Fructus urceolatus 3-locularis ea. 8 X 4 mm ad torum ad 2.5-3 mm constrictus, calyce vix lobato.
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Discussion
Type: tree 5-10 m, fruiting, common in scrub forest between eumbre camp and west escarpment, elev. 1700-1750 m, Cerro de la Neblina, Terr. Amazonas. Venezuela, Jan 13, 1954, Bassett Maguire, John J. Wurdack, cf- George S. Bunting 37253 (NY). Paratype : bushy tree 3-8 m, buds greenish, occasional in uppermost slope forest above Camp 4, elev. 1600-1700 m, Cerro de la Neblina, Jan 13, 1954, Maguire, Wurdack, cO Bunting 37268.
G. fantastica has 5- or indistinctly 7-nerved leaves with the tertiary veins not obvious and an ovoid fruit less than 5 mm long. The paratype collection of G. reticulata had buds sufficiently advanced to establish the genus and flower-mery definitely.