Sipanea galioides Wernham

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett. 1967. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part VII. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 17: 1-439.

  • Family

    Rubiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Sipanea galioides Wernham

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - British Guiana and adjacent southeastern Venezuela in Estado Bolivar, at elevations of 400-2000 m. BRITISH GUIANA. Roraima expedition, Kotinga River, Mc Connell & Quelch 185; im Thurn 29 (photo of type from K at NY). VENEZUELA. Bolivar: savanna 1-5 1cm NW of Mission at Kavanayen, alt 1300 m, Maguire 33788; Gran Sabana, between Kun and Uaduara-paru, in valley of Rio Kulcenan, S of Mt. Roraima, alt 1065-1220 m, Steyermark 59092; Philipp Camp, Mt. Roraima, alt 1500-1800 m, Tate 288 sabanas de los declives orientales del Cerro Muru, alt 1500 m, Cardona 1846; selva de Apariema, Kava-nayen, Lasser 1893; en sabanetas, Guairampai, Lasser 1457, dry open sandy savanna, vicinity of road campamento 150 at Km 150 in valley of savanna of Rio Uarama below Uarama-tepui, NE of Luepa, alt 1220 m, Steyermark & Nilsson 537; laterite bare hills of savanna of Uarama-tepui above Rio Uarama and above Km 150, NE of Luepa, alt 1500 m, Steyermark & Xilsson 694; forested southwestfacing quebrada near Rondon Camp, Mt. Roraima, alt 2040 m, Steyermark 58649; terrenos pedregosas de colinas con vegetacion sabanera. Las Delicias, Sta. Elena, Gran Sabana, Tamayo 2769; campos de cultivo al pie del Cerro Ceita, Hato Divina Pastora, Gran Sabana, Tamayo 2931; dense forest along Rio Karuai, between Santa Teresita de Kavanayen and base of Ptari-tepui, alt 1220 m, Steyermark 60297; playas arenosas del Rio Carom, junto a los raudales Carucaya, Gran Sabana, alt 740 m, Cardona 1796.

  • Discussion

    Type. Spelemoota, Arapoo River, 1 Dec 1884, im Thurn 29.

    There appear to be two variations within Sipanea galioides, one having both sides of the leaves pubescent as described by Wernham, the other with the leaves glabrous above except for a puberulous midrib and below mainly glabrous on surface with densely strigose lateral nerves and midrib. Corresponding to the first variation showm by the type collection are the specimens cited above of Steyermark 59092 and 60297, Tamayo 2931 and 2769, Lasser 1457 and 1893, Cardona 1846, Tate 288, and McConnell & Quelch 185, whereas the other collections correspond to the second variation having the upper leaf surface glabrous. I am unable, however, to separate these variations clearly. The specimens of Bernard1683 and Steyermark 75281 are doubtfully placed in S. galioides and appear to show some introgression with S. pratensis in having less coriaceous, broader leaves which are less revolute.

  • Distribution

    British Guiana and adjacent southeastern Venezuela in Estado Bolivar, at elevations of 400-2000 m.

    Guyana South America| Venezuela South America|