Psychotria eggersii Standl.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Rubiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Psychotria eggersii Standl.

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Coastal Cordillera of north-central Venezuela. VENEZUELA. D.F.: rich cloud forest on seaward side of road leading to Carayaca, 2.5 km below junction of Carayaca-Colonia Tovar road, alt 2100 m, 24 Oct 1963, Steyermark 91752; upper Catuche woods near Caracas, above 1400 m, 6 Jun 1921, Pittier 9586; east of El Junquito, alt 1980-2130 m, 25 Jun 1944, Steyermark 57034; Los Infernitos, alt 1800 m, May 1937, Tamayo 147; selvas virgen del Avila, Aug 1937, Vogl 32; El Avila, alt 1600 m, 27 Apr 1938, Williams 10013; arribe de Catuche, alt 1400 m, 13 May 1917, Pittier 7158-A; cloud forest, Los Flores, Sierra de El Avila, alt 1600 m, 16 Dec 1938, Alston 5545; El Junquito, Jun 1944, Lasser 1094; El Junquito, alt 1900 m, 15 Aug 1949, Schnee 489, 473; Los Venados-Galipan, alt 1600 m, 7 Jun 1950, Trujillo 1258; Cerros del Avila, alt 1600 m, 7 Oct 1921, E. Pittier 27; selvas del Avila, alt 1700 m, 20 Apr 1937, Delgado 16. Aragua: Colonia Tovar, alt 1970 m, 1854-55, Fendler 561.

  • Discussion

    Type. High ridge north of Caracas, Venezuela, alt 1800 m, Eggers 13187.

    In differentiating this species, Standley (Field Mus. Publ. Bot. 8: 69. 1930) remarks that it is distinguished from P. amita Standi, by the form of the stipules, by the leaf pubescence, and by the larger corolla. Other differences are noteworthy as follows: in P. eggersii the flowers are tetramerous with conspicuously corniculate-tipped corolla lobes, whereas in P. amita the flowers are pentamerous and the corolla lobes are not corniculate; in P. eggersii the corolla tube is more slender and has a puberulous tomentum on the exterior with short spreading hairs, whereas in P. amita the relatively broader and shorter corolla has a close papillate puberulence without. Finally, in P. eggersii the calyx lobes are conspicuously developed with ovate, acute to acuminate lobes which surpass the disk, whereas in P. amita the calyx is shallowly cut and the disk merely equals or exceeds the height of the calyx lobes.

  • Distribution

    Distribution. Coastal Cordillera of north-central Venezuela.

    Venezuela South America|