Myrcia bracteata (Rich.) DC.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Myrtaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Myrcia bracteata (Rich.) DC.

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - VENEZUELA. Amazonas: Agiiita, Mt. Duida, 4000 ft, Tate 913 (NY, type ofM . hirtellaefolia); SE base of Cerro Duida, elev 225 m (sterile), Steyermark 57939(F; large-lvd., det. as M . hirtellaefolia); near Yavita, elev 130 m, 10 Jun 1959(imm fr), Wurdack & Adderley 42906 ( M I C H ) ; Yavita, elev 128 m, Jan 1942(bud), Williams 14101 {¥), 13979 (F); Bolivar: Alto Rio Cuyuni, Rio Chicanan,Triana Savanna, 5 Sep 1962 (imm fr), Maguire et al 53596 ( M I C H ) ; Ptari-tepui,elev 1250-1520 m, 27 Oct 1944 (fl), Steyermark 59433 (F); along Rio Uairen, Sta.Elena, Gran Sabana, Feb 1946 (fl), Tamayo 2716 (F, M I C H ) ; Sta. Elena, altoCaroni, 19 Apr 1946 (fl), Lasser 1303 (NY) ; Rio Caroni, near the mouth of Jeabaru,elev 400 m. M a y 1945 (fl), Cardona 1168 (NY) ; Kavanayen, selva de Oparuma,30 M a y 1946, Lasser 1869 (NY) ; Rio Paragua, Raudales de INIaihia, elev 500 m,1 Jan 1962 (fl), Steyermark 90531 (IMICH); Sierra de Lema, 80 k m S E of El Dorado,elev 500-700 m, 22-27 Aug 1961 (fl), Steyermark 89385, 89546 (both M I C H );Auyan-tepui, above Guayaraca, elev 1000-1480 m, 18 ]\Iay 1964 (fl), Steyermark94155 (MICH). COLOMBIA. Meta: 20 k m E of Villavicencio, elev 450 m, 16M a y 1944 (fl). Grant & Fosberg 9212 (MICH). F R E N C H GUIANA, "e Cayenna[missus] a Domino LeBlond" (P, hb. gen., ?type; hb. Lam., isotype).

  • Discussion

    Eugenia bracteata Rich., Actes Soc. Hist. Nat. Paris 1: 110. 1792.

    Myrcia hirtellae folia Gleason, Bull. Torrey Club 58: 411. 1931

    For description see Field Mus. Publ. Bot. 13(4) [Fl. Peru]: 631. 1958. This is a widespread and relatively uniform easily recognized species of the Amazonian and Orinocan basins, ranging eastward to the Guianas. It appears to be primarily a plant of savannah-margins and river-margins at middle elevations. The type of Myrcia hirtellae folia {Tate 913, N Y ! ) seems to represent a large-leaved form. The type of Myrcia ["Eugenia"] bracteata came presumably from French Guiana, but I have not seen any modern specimens from there.

    This species illustrates very well the difficulties that one encounters in trying to maintain the traditional separation between Myrcia and Aulomyrcia, or even to maintain divisions within Myrcia itself. Myrcia bracteata has always been regarded as a "typical" Myrcia, presumably because the flowers are mostly 5-merous, and the inside of the flower is very hairy, including the summit of the ovary and the surrounding hypanthium and disk. Apart from this general tendency to hairiness, however, the species might as well be called an Aulomyrcia in Berg's sense; the hypanthium is definitely prolonged beyond the ovary, forming a rather prominent neck between the calyx and the young fruit, and the calyx is sometimes 4-merous. After anthesis the calyx often develops some fissures between the lobes as in Marlierea, but I think no one would wish to transfer this species to Marlierea, because the caljoc is well-formed even in the bud, with large pointed lobes, and the Assures, if any, develop much later than in Marlierea. I cannot guess at the real affinities of the species, so prefer for the present to leave it undisturbed in sect Mvrcia.

  • Distribution

    V E N E Z U E L A . Amazonas: Agiiita, Mt. Duida, 4000 ft, Tate 913 (NY, type ofM . hirtellaefolia); SE base of Cerro Duida, elev 225 m (sterile), Steyermark 57939(F; large-lvd., det. as M . hirtellaefolia); near Yavita, elev 130 m, 10 Jun 1959(imm fr), Wurdack & Adderley 42906 ( M I C H ) ; Yavita, elev 128 m, Jan 1942(bud), Williams 14101 {¥), 13979 (F); Bolivar: Alto Rio Cuyuni, Rio Chicanan,Triana Savanna, 5 Sep 1962 (imm fr), Maguire et al 53596 ( M I C H ) ; Ptari-tepui,elev 1250-1520 m,

    Venezuela South America| French Guiana South America|