Bonnetia steyermarkii Kobuski

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett. 1972. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part IX. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 23: 1-832.

  • Family

    Theaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Bonnetia steyermarkii Kobuski

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Summits of tabular mountains of the Gran Sabana area. VENEZUELA. Edo. Bolívar: Ptari-tepuí, Steyermark 59570 (holotype F, isotype NY); common, petals rich yellow, leaves coriaceous, Bonnetia roraimae forest on southwest-facing slopes, Ptari-tepuí at 2000-2200 m alt, 2 Nov 1944, Steyermark 59794 (F, NY). Auyan-tepuí: 2200 m, Dec 1937, Tate 1165 (NY); arbusto de flor amarillo, en rio de la planicia y en el camino la cumbre, 1500 m alt, Enero 1949, Cardona 2686 (NY, VEN); 2300 m alt, April 1956, Vareschi & Foldats 4902 (NY, VEN); stems erect, mostly unbranched, 3-4 m, petals yellow, scrub forest along stream at 1800 m alt, 10 May 1964, Steyermark 93578 (NY, VEN); stems erect, tree 4-6 m, common with Bonnetia roraimae, 2000-2300 m alt, 15 May 1964, Steyermark 93925 (NY, VEN).

  • Discussion

    Type. Common, forming thickets with curving matted intertwining stems, shrub 15-25 ft tall; petals rich yellow; on densely forested steep southfacing slopes overlying sandstone, vic “Cave Rock,” at 2300-2400 m alt, 30 Oct 1944, Ptari-tepuí, Edo. Bolívar, Venezuela, Julian A. Steyermark 59570 (holotype F, isotype NY).

    Kobuski described Bonnetia steyermarkii as having 11 sepals and 3-4-celled ovaries. Actually, as demonstrated by further collected material, sepals in the species are the normal 5 but are closely subtended by 4-6 sepaloid or foliar bracts. The whorls of bracts are detectably disjunct in some collections—in this and the related species B. roseiflora.

  • Distribution

    Distribution. Summits of tabular mountains of the Gran Sabana area.

    Venezuela South America|