Remijia longifolia Benth. ex Standl.
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett. 1972. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part IX. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 23: 1-832.
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Family
Rubiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Amazonas, Brazil and adjacent southwestern Amazonas of Venezuela. VENEZUELA. Amazonas: along trail between San Fernando de Atabapo and Río Orinoco, alt 125-140 m, 29 May 1959, Wurdack & Adderley 42658; Cano Caraben, Río Orinoco, 10 km below San Fernando de Atabapo, alt 150 m, 11 May 1954, Level 55; Orinoco River, southern part of Isla del Raton, 5° 2' N, 67° 46' W, alt 90 m, 16 Nov 1965, Breteler 4700; entre paja en la sabana alrededor de la desembocadura del río Sanariapo, alt 140 m, 22 May 1940, Williams 13062; en la orilla del río Sanariapo cerca de su desembocadura, alt 100 m, 20 May 1940, Williams 13053; vicinity of San Fernando de Atabapo, on road to Tití, alt 100 m, 7 Sept 1944, Steyermark 58420.
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Discussion
Type. In sylvis humilioribus ad Panuré, Amazonas, Brazil, Dec 1852, R. Spruce 2855 (K).
Standley's measurements of the corolla were taken from dried material and as such are correctly stated, giving a total length of 15.5-16 mm (tube 10 mm long, lobes 5.5-6 mm long), but when the material is boiled for dissection, the dimensions would be increased by several more millimeters. On the Wurdack & Adderely 42658 specimens the corolla measures 20-22 mm long when boiled (tube 10-14 mm long, lobes 7-9 mm long). The type specimen has a stipule length of 8 cm, but other material (Wurdack & Adderley 42658) may measure 6 cm long. On the type specimen the interior of the calyx shows one gland approximately opposite each sinus base with minute appressed setose hairs appearing along the rim at the base of the tube as well as appressed pubescence on the interior of the calyx lobes, whereas in Wurdack & Adderley 42658 there are 2-3 glands at the base of the interior of the calyx, which is glabrous within. The capsules vary from 1.5-4.5 cm long, and in the type specimen the lowest ones measure 4-4.5 cm long, whereas those on the nodes above are shorter and only 2-2.5 cm long.
So far as the Venezuelan material is concerned, the differences between R. firmula and R. longifolia are clearly marked as follows: (1) flowers are sessile in R. longifolia, pedicellate in R. firmula, (2) capsules sessile in R. longifolia, stipitate in R. firmula, (3) calyx lobes in R. firmula are elongated triangular-lanceolate, acuminate, and 1.5-1.8 mm long, whereas in R. longifolia they are broadly deltoid, subacute, and only 0.5 mm long, (4) in R. firmula one gland is present in the sinus between the calyx lobes, whereas in R. longifolia there are 2-3 glands clustered (rarely 1) above one another below the calyx lobes opposite the sinus area, (5) the style in R. firmula is glabrous throughout, but in R. longifolia is densely setose at the base, and (6) the capsules are narrowly linear-oblong in R. firmula but broadly oblong in R. longifolia.
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Distribution
Distribution. Amazonas, Brazil and adjacent southwestern Amazonas of Venezuela.
Venezuela South America| Brazil South America|