Vaccinium puberulum var. jauaense Maguire, Steyerm. & Luteyn

• Authority

  Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part X. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 29: 1-288.

• Family

  Ericaceae

• Scientific Name

  Vaccinium puberulum var. jauaense Maguire, Steyerm. & Luteyn

• Description

  Latin Diagnosis - Frutex 2.5 m, ramis glabris; foliorum laminis coriaceis valde revolutis oblongoellipticis apice rotundatis base obtusis, 1.6-3 x 1-2 cm glabris, nervis lateralibus subtus vix manifestis vel nullis, venuhs tertiariis non reticulatis; inflorescentiae rhachidi glabra.

• Discussion

  Type. VENEZUELA. Edo. Bolivar: Meseta de Jaua, Cerro Sarisarinama, cumbre de la porcion Central-Occidental, 36 milias nauticas o 60 km NW de la mision de Campamento Sanidad del Río Canaracuni, rocky savanna-covered slopes, 1922-2100 m alt, 22-27 Marzo 1967, Steyermark 98054 (holotype VEN, isotype NY). This taxon most closely resembles V. puberulum var subcrenulatum differing in the leaves with scarcely or not at all evident lateral nerves on the lower surface, tertiary venation not anastomosing with the nerves on the lower surface, oval to oblong-elliptic leaf shape with different proportions, and strongly revolute margins. From var hitchcockii of Cerro Yavi, to which it also appears related, it differs in the glabrous branches of the stems and rachis.