Bonnetia roraimae Oliv.

  • 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 roraimae Oliv.

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. A densely crowned tree to 10 m high, often exerting dominance on mesa slopes and summits from 1900 to 2500 m alt, conspicuous because of characteristic bronze underleaf surfaces; confined to the tepuis of the Gran Sabana. Historical records attributing the species to British Guiana must be interpreted as of Venezuela. VENEZUELA. Edo. Bolívar, Gran Sabana, Mount Roraima: summit, 24 Nov 1927, Tate 369 (NY); 2200 m, Dec 1937, Tate 1153 (NY); shrub 5 ft, corolla red, anthers yellow, summit, 8700 ft, 9 Jan 1939, Pinkus 111 (NY); common shrub 4-8 ft tall, leaves coriaceous, petals pinkish-white within, deep rose without, Summit Camp, 2620-2740 m, 27 Sep 1944, Steyermark 58828 (NY); summit at 9000 ft, 24 Apr 1955, Irwin 401 (US); Auyán-tepuí: arbol 8 mts, fondo de los barrancos de la cumbre, flores rosadas, Alto Caroní, 2100-2400 mts, Enero 1949, Cardona 2713 (US); arbusto o arbolito 6 m, flores rosadas, uno de los arboles dominantes en la formatión, campamento El Oso, en el centro del Plato, 1900 m, Abr 1956, Foldats 2612 (NY); dominant in cumbre, vie Oso Woods Camp, bosque de Bonnetia roraimae, cabeceras del Río Churún, 2050 m, 16 May 1964, Steyermark 94013 (NY); Chimantá-tepuí: fl rosadas, Cerro Apacará, 2100 m, 8 Jul 1946, Cardona 1540 (US); cumbre, Cerro Acopán, Caroní, arbusto 2 m, 2100 m, Oct 1947, Cardona 2298 (NY, US); dominant tree, 15-25 ft tall, flowers pink, leaves spreading, coriaceous, in Bonnetia forest, northwestern part of summit of Abácapa-tepuí, 2125-2300 m, 13 Apr 1953, Steyermark 74955 (NY); tree 5-12 m high, flowers pink, abundant in lower part of west cumbre, 2100-2200 m alt, Churí-tepuí (Muru-tepuí), 24 Jan 1953, Wurdack 34184 (NY, IAN, GH, F, K, RB, US, S, VEN); tree 0.3-1.5 m high, flowers pink, frequent in upper cumbre and deep caños, 2250-2300 m alt, Churí-tepuí (Muru-tepuí), 26 Jan 1953, Wurdack 34227 (NY); Ptari-tepuí: shrub to small tree 4-25 ft tall, trunks up to 1 ft in diam, petals rose-pink with white, Bonnetia roraimae forest on southwest-facing shoulder, 2000-2200 m, 2 Nov 1944, Steyermark 59728 (NY); depressed shrub 3 ft tall, bordering Brocchinia-Stegolepis-Heliamphora swamp on southwest-facing shoulder, 2200 m alt, 2 Nov 1944, Steyermark 59791 (NY); shrub 15-20 ft tall, crest of Sororopán-tepuí, 2255 m alt, 14 Nov 1944, Steyermark 60144 (NY); shrub or tree 3-25 ft tall, petals pink to rose, summit of Carrao-tepuí, 2470-2500 m, 7 Dec 1944, Steyermark 60886 (NY); Ilu-tepuí: bushy shrub or tree, flowers very small, pink, common, and often dominant in open low scrub bush, 1900 m alt, 11 Mar 1952, Maguire 33381 (NY); dense bushy tree to 6 m high, foliage bronze, flowers pink, abundant, dominant woody plant on summit, saddle between North Peak and Central Plateau at 2500 m alt, 15 Mar 1952, Maguire 33421 (NY); Venezuelan-Brazilian Frontier: densely branched rounded trees 2-10 m high, foliage rose-bronze, dominant in woodland, giving character and color to slopes, East Slope, Serra do Sol, 7200 ft alt, 28 Dec 1954, Maguire & Maguire 40409 (NY).

  • Discussion

    Type. Summit of Roraima, [Venezuela] F. im Thurn 330 (holotype K).

  • Distribution

    Distribution. A densely crowned tree to 10 m high, often exerting dominance on mesa slopes and summits from 1900 to 2500 m alt, conspicuous because of characteristic bronze underleaf surfaces; confined to the tepuis of the Gran Sabana. Historical records attributing the species to British Guiana must be interpreted as of Venezuela.

    Venezuela South America| Guyana South America|