Swartzia picta var. bolivarensis R.S.Cowan

  • Authority

    Cowan, Richard S. 1967. Swartzia (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae Swartzieae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 1: 3-228. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Fabaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Swartzia picta var. bolivarensis R.S.Cowan

  • Type

    Type collection. F. Cardona 1926 (holotype G; isotype VEN), Yumariba Rapids, Río Ikabarú, Bolívar, Venezuela, Nov. 2, 1946.

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - A var. picta foliolis infra strigulosis ad basim versus attenuatis, basi ipsi obtusa, apice breviter et acriter acutis, pedicellis cylindricis, 20-35 mm longis, bracteolis infra apicem pedicelli nascentibus differt.

  • Discussion

    This species has in the past been rather regularly confused with S. grandifolia but the gynoecium of that species is very obviously pubescent, in contrast to the glabrous one of S. picta. The sinuate-dentate outline of the petal of the latter species is quite distinctive and, with the greater number of pairs of leaflets which are glaucous beneath, sufficient to separate it from all its relatives. Of these the closest are two Guyana species, S. xanthopetala and S. leiogyne, both of which have only two or three pairs of leaflets.

    The characteristics separating the two varieties comprising the species are not particularly striking but sufficiently impressive to justify establishment of the new variety. The most obvious differences separating var. bolivarensis from the typical one are the shape of the leaflets and the posture of the pubescence on the vegetative parts.

  • Distribution

    (Fig. 5). Riverine rain forest, 420-900 m alt., in southeastern Venezuela and north-central Brazil, reportedly of frequent occurrence.

    Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Brazil South America|