Everardia montana Ridl.

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett. 1969. The botany of the Guayana Highland-part VIII. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 18: 1-290.

  • Family

    Cyperaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Everardia montana Ridl.

  • Discussion

    Fohorum et bractearum laminae subtus perdense tomentosae albo-vellutinae, supra dense pilosa, cinereo-virides; foliorum vaginae sursum dense albo-tomentosae; culmi aut dense tomentosi aut dense pilosi; caeteroquin sicut subsp montana. Subspeciei guaiquinimae remote affinis videtur, tamen ab hac valde diversa est foliis subtus perdense tomentoso-vellutinis (nee puberulentibus).

    Type. Serra Pirapucu, low humid catinga forest, alt 1300-1700 m, Rio Negro, Rio Cauaburi, Amazonas, Brazil, Nilo T. Silva & Umbelino Brazdo 60931 (holotype N Y ; isotype U S ) . Distribution. Endemic to Serra da Nebhna. Known only by the type collection.

    Everardia montana is a sole variable species in the genus. A detailed discussion presented in a previous paper^ pointed out that the variation shown by the leaves has high taxonomic significance, whereas the range of variation of fructifications not only completely continuous but not sufficiently remarkable to make any taxonomic segregation. The variants recognizable by the leaf characters are: Everardia subsp montana with glabrous nonglaucous leaves; subsp glaucifolia with glaucous glabrous leaves; subsp duidae with verruculose leaves; subsp ptariensis with short glabrous leaves arranged in a rosette; and subsp guaiquinimae with puberulent leaves. Everardia montana subsp velutina adds a new leaf feature to this variation range with its tomentose-velutinous blades, by which the new subspecies can readily be separated from any of the previously known subspecies mentioned above.