Clidemia bullosa (Spreng.) Cogn.

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1964. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part V. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-278.

  • Family

    Melastomataceae

  • Scientific Name

    Clidemia bullosa (Spreng.) Cogn.

  • Discussion

    C. candolleana Cogn. Mart. Fl Bras. 14, pt. 4: 490. 1888.

    C. rariflora Benth. Hook. Jour. Bot. 2: 308. 1840.

    Staphidium pliostemon Naud. Ann. Sci. Nat. Ill, 17: 313. 1852.

    Clidemia pleiostemon (Naud.) Cogn. DC. Monog. Phan. 7: 1000. 1891.

    C. manoacensis Kranzl. Vierteljahr. Naturf. Gesells. Zurich 76: 157. 1931.

    C. novemnervia (DC.) Tr. var. depauperata Pittier. Bol. Soc. Venez. Cienc. Nat. 11: 23. 1947.

    In a comedy of Kew Rule nomenclature errors, Cogniaux displaced De-Candolle's name to accommodate an earlier Sprengel epithet within Clidemia, thus necessitating his name C. candolleana for the species based on Martins' Para collection. I have examined the holotype (M) of C. bullosa DC.; in one bud, there were 15 stamens, indicating alignment with Bentham's species. The species is quite variable both in density and development of upper leaf surface bullae and in hypanthial pubescence; some of the flowers in the Martius collection (2 sheets) show sparse glandular setae on the hypanthia. Schidtes dc Cabrera 19255 and 12581, from Amazonian Colombia, are good matches vegetatively and reproductively respectively. At present I am inclined to slur over any infraspecific distinctions in this widespread species. For the south Brazilian species [C. bullosa (Spreng.) Cogn.], the next available name is C. biserrata DC. I have examined isotypes for the taxa proposed by Pittier and Kranzlein; both are pleiostemonous and accord well with Guiana material of C. rariflora. All of the four isotypes (NY, US) of C. manoacensis (Rusby & Squires 239, from the lower Orinoco) have 5-merous flowers with ca. 15 stamens; Kranzlein's vegetative and pubescence details are correct.