Gonzalagunia surinamensis Bremek.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Rubiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Gonzalagunia surinamensis Bremek.

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Suriname, British Guiana, and Territory Federal Delta Amacuro, Venezuela. BRITISH GUIANA. Western extremity of Kanuku Mountains, in drainage of Takutu River, alt 200 m, 4-22 Mar 1938, A. C. Smith 3333; Wabuwak, Kanuku Mountains, Oct 1948, Wilson-Browne 319; West Kanuku Mountains, montane forest, alt 910 m, 17 Nov 1957; 4 mi S of Isherton, lat 2° 20' N, basin of Rupununi River, 9-15 Nov 1937, A. C. Smith 2489. VENEZUELA. Territorio Federal Delta Amacuro: near Río Toro, El Palmar-Raudal trail, upper Río Toro drainage, Serrania Imataca, alt 270-470 m, 12 Nov 1955, Wurdack & Monachino 39652.

  • Discussion

    Type. Kabalebo River, Avanavero Falls, 3 Sep 1920, Pulle 385.

    Bremekamp’s original description of this taxon shows various discrepancies with duplicates of the type collection. Although he states (Rec. Trav. Bot. Neerl. 31: 264. 1934) the calyx lobes to be “triangulares” and “erecti,” they are actually suborbicular and rounded at the apex and appear to be spreading or ascending on the iso type specimen at NY, but erect on the specimen from U. Moreover, he describes the drupe as “sparse villosa,” whereas on the NY isotype it is densely villosulous.

    The specimen of Wurdack & Monachino 39652 from Venezuela differs from the description of G. surinamensis in the following respects: (1) the calyx lobes are 1.2 mm instead of 0.2 mm long, and are suborbicular and rounded at apex, squarrose or spreading instead of triangular and erect, (2) the floral bracts are triangular-lanceolate and longer, being 2-3.5 mm instead of 1 mm long, (3) the stipules are 6-12 mm instead of 5 mm long, (4) the stems and branches are not appressed-pubescent, as described, but have a spreading-ascending, densely hirsute pubescence, and (5) the inflorescence is shorter, 5-8 cm long in anthesis, up to 10 cm long in fruit, with more crowded flowers, instead of 8-25 cm long as in G. surinamensis. The corolla on the type specimen at U is 6-6.5 mm long, in this respect agreeing with the dimension found on the Wurdack & Monachino specimens, but the corolla length of the Smith 3333 from British Guiana is 10.5 mm. In other respects, however, the material from British Guiana appears conspecific with Wurdack & Monachino specimens of Venezuela. In view of the circumstances that the type collection of G. surinamensis shows variance in part with the original description, the Wurdack & Monachino collection from Venezuela, and those from British Guiana, are tentatively referred to G. surinamensis to include the variations above noted.

  • Distribution

    Distribution. Suriname, British Guiana, and Territory Federal Delta Amacuro, Venezuela.

    Suriname South America| Guyana South America| Venezuela South America|