Psychotria brazoi Steyerm.
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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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Type
Type. High forest, slopes of Pico da Neblina, slopes above Igarapé Anta, Amazonas, Brazil, alt 1400-1800 m, 15 Dec 1965, tree 5 m high, 5 cm diam; calyx green; corolla cream; stamens white; Nilo T. Silva & Umbelino Brazao 60633 (holotype NY). Paratype. COLOMBIA. Moist forest, just W of Servitá, canyon of Río Negro, 10 km WNW of Villavicencio, Cordillera Oriental, Intendencia del Meta, alt 1000 m, 7 Feb 1944, Fosberg 21446.
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Arbor 5-metralis, ramis glabris; stipulis in vaginam 1.5 mm longam glabram, vaginis in dentes duos lanceolatos acutos 1.5 mm longos glabros desinentibus; foliis oppositis petiolatis, petiolis 1-2 cm longis glabris; laminis chartaceis elliptico-ovatis oblongo-ellipticis vel oblongo-ovatis apice acuminatis basi cuneatim acutis vel acuminatis 10-19 X 4-8 cm utrinque glabris, nervis lateralibus utroque latere 8-9 sursum curvatis supra impressis subtus paullo elevatis ante marginem 2-4 mm leviter anasto-mosantibus, venulis tertiariis utrinque prominulis subtus paullo elevatis reticulatisque; inflorescentia subcorymbose vel subumbellatim ramosa 1.7-2 cm longa 3-4.5 cm lata densiflora, axibus principalibus 3-5 infimis duobus oppositis patentibus 5-9 mm longis 1 mm diam pubescentibus, axibus ceteris ascendentibus vel patenti-adscendenti-bus 4-6 mm longis, axibus inferioribus apice 12-floris sed ceteris 9-floris; pedunculo 2.2-5.5 cm longo 1-1.5 mm diam parce puberulo; floribus dense fasciculatis sessilibus bracteis involucralibus tribus cinctis; bracteis inaequalibus 9-15 in inflorescentia oblongo-lanceolatis obtusis subacutis vel obtusiuscule acutis 5-9 × 2-3.5 mm omnino glabris vel apicem versus hispidulo-ciliatis 2 1/2-3-plo longioribus quam latioribus; calyce hypanthioque 1.5-1.7 mm longo, hypanthio depresso- hemisphaerico 0.7-1 mm longo 1.5-1.9 mm lato glabro; calyce 0.8-1 mm longo profunde lobato, lobis late triangulari-ovatis vel ovato-lanceolatis 0.5-0.6 mm longis 1-1.2 mm latis marginibus valde setoso-ciliatis ceterum glabris intus basi sinu inter lobos 1-glanduliferis; disco lobos calycis aequanti; corolla infundibuliformi 11-12 mm longa supra medium extus pilosa, tubo 8 mm longo basi 2 mm lato fauce 5 mm lato intus parte inferiore 3.5 mm glabro ceterum dense villosulo, lobis anguste lanceolatis acuminatis 4.8-5 × 1.5 mm extus pilosis; staminibus exsertis, antheris 3 × 0.5 mm; filamentis 5 mm longis; stylo 5 mm longo glabro.
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Discussion
This taxon differs from P. barbiflora A. DC. in the much larger corollas, shorter stipular teeth, inflorescence branched in anthesis with 3-5 elongated axes 5-9 mm long, bracts at the summit of the axes, the inflorescence with a diameter of 3-4.5 cm, as contrasted with P. barbiflora in which the inflorescence at anthesis appears monocephalous and only 0.5-1.4 cm in diameter and scarcely not at all branched at anthesis, and finally, the presence of a large squamella or gland between the sinuses of the calyx lobes.