Amphidasya venezuelensis (Standl.) Steyerm.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Rubiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Amphidasya venezuelensis (Standl.) Steyerm.

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Coastal Cordillera of Venezuela. Aragua: Parque Nacional Henry Pittier, rich moist cloud forest on ridge along trail of Periquito above monument of Pittier, alt 1300 m, 19 Jun 1960, Steyermark 86323 (type of Pittier othamnus elineolatus Steyerm.); Parque Nacional Henry Pittier, two-thirds way up Periquito trail on steep forested slopes, alt 1300 m, 5 Aug 1961, Steyermark 86323; same locality, 19 Oct 1961, Steyermark 89763; Parque Nacional Henri Pittier, bosque de Rancho Grande, camino detrás del hotel hacia Pico Periquito, 28 Oct 1963, Agostini & Fariñas 94; Fila del Paraiso, Parque Nacional, Julio 1947, Pittier & Nakichenovich 15464. Carabobo: Río San Esteban (Las Quiguas), alt 450 m, 11 Sep 1964, Hno. Dositeo 21. Yaracuy: Cerro La Chapa, selva nublada al norte de Nirgua, alt 12001400 m, 9-10 Nov 1967, Steyermark, Bunting & Wessels-Boer 100253; Cerro La Chapa, selva nublada en la fila, rich moist quebrada along small stream below summit, norte de Nirgua, alt 1200-1360 m, 11 Mar 1967, Steyermark & Bunting 97677.

  • Discussion

    Deppea (?) venezuelensis Standi., Field Mus. Publ. Bot. 8: 52. 1930.

    Pittierothamnus elineolatus Steyerm., Bol. Soc. Ven. Ci. Nat. 23(101): 92. fig. 11. 1962.

    Type. Without locality, Venezuela, 1842-43, Funcke 793 (K).

    Study of the photo of the type of Deppea (?) venezuelensis Standi, from G, together with the original description, leaves no doubt that it and Pittierothamnus elineolatus are conspecific. In describing his plant, Standley remarked, “I feel confident that this plant does not belong to the genus Deppea .... It has been impossible to discover a more satisfactory place for it, but it is probable that the flowers, when available, will show that the plant represents a new generic type.” Again, when he described Deppea (?) colombiana, he stated that “The generic position of both these plants [Deppea (?) venezuelensis and Deppea (?) colombiana] is annoyingly uncertain, but probably both belong to a distinct genus that must receive a name when flowering material of one or the other has become accessible.” A photograph in the Paris Herbarium of Funck 793 labelled with the unpublished manuscript name, “Rondeletia funckiana Baill.,” is to be identified with Amphidasya venezuelensis.

    Standley did not believe that the fruit was fleshy, and, for that reason, did not assign it in the tribe Mussaendeae where it appears now to belong, along with Sabicea. Standley separated Deppea colombiana from D. venezuelensis by the laciniate instead of entire stipules. As has already been indicated in other species discussed above, the character of prominent long-lacinate stipules breaks down in such species as A. bullata, A. neblinae, and A. intermedia, all of which show reduced stipules with relatively shorter and fewer segments or bristles.

  • Distribution

    Distribution. Coastal Cordillera of Venezuela.

    Venezuela South America|