Moronobea ptaritepuiana subsp. neblinensis Maguire
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1964. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part V. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-278.
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Family
Clusiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Arbor parva; foliis maioribus, laminis 5-8 cm longis, 2.0-3.5 cm latis, pallidis, glandulo-punctatis, saepe item rubripunctatis, floribus maioribus, petalis albidis 4-5 cm longis; phalangis 3-4-antherifes.
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Discussion
Type. Tree 5 m high, petals white, young fruit greenish-white, occasional, slopes Canon Grande below Cumbre Camp, alt. 1800 m, Cerro de la Neblina, Amazonas, Venezuela, 14 Dec 1957, Bassett Maguire, J. J. Wurdack & Celia K. Maguire 42466 (holotype NY). Paratypes. Cerro Neblina: Maguire, Wurdack & Bunting 37336; Maguire, Wurdack t& Maguire 42172. Known only from Neblina.
As observed in the field, the subsp. neblinensis is considerably smaller than is indicated for the tree of the Gran Sabana. The western race exhibits larger, thinner and conspicuously paler leaves and larger flowers. The number of anthers per phalange has proved to be variable in general for species of Moronobea, and is not here considered significant. Steyermark ascribes 5 per phalange for subsp. ptaritepuiana. As noted above, we have observed 3-4 for subsp. neblinensis.
In addition to numerous minute impressed clear glandular punctae that are characteristic for the species, the leaves of subsp. neblinensis exhibit raised reddish and larger subepidermal pustules of an apparently resinous nature. They are often of irregular size and distribution on the lower leaf surface. These resindots are not associated with any fungal pathogen. They may be of natural secretion, but the possibility of their being insect induced should not be ruled out.