Psychotria capitata subsp. inundata var. roraimensis (Wernham) 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

    Psychotria capitata subsp. inundata var. roraimensis (Wernham) Steyerm.

  • Type

    Type. Roraima, Venezuela, Schomburgk 581.

  • Discussion

    Declieuxia roraimensis Wernh., Jour. Bot. 52: 225. 1914.

    Psychotria cubitalis Standi. & Steyerm., Fieldiana Bot. 28: 598. 1953.

    Psychotria heterocarpa Standi. & Steyerm., Fieldiana Bot. 28: 600. 1953.

    The following specimens are intermediate between P. capitata subsp inundata var inundata and var roraimensis, all from Estado Bolívar, Venezuela: Cerro La Danta, NW of Cerro Venamo, headwaters of Río Venamo, W of vicinity of road campamento 125, alt 1040-1060 m, 13 Apr 1960, Steyermark & Nilsson 18; Chimantá Massif, between Base Camp and steep slopes above valley of Río Tirica, southwestern-facing slopes of Chimanta-tepui (Torono-tepui), alt 1000-1400 m, 15 May 1953, Steyermark 75415; Chimanta Massif, along Río Apácara, Apácara-tepui, alt 400 m, 25 Mar 1953, Steyermark 74636; Chimantá Massif, along Río Sarvén near Camp 9, Sarven-tepui, alt 1200 m, 7 Feb 1953, Wurdack 34322; Uaipán-tepui, upstream on Río Hacha above Salto Hacha, alt 1000 m, 2 Mar 1967, Koyama & Agostini 7405; Gran Sabana, stream tributary to Río Kukenán, at base of Mount Roraima, alt 1185-1280 m, 24 Sep 1944, Steyermark 58581; Sororopán-tepui, between quebrada and summit, alt 2130-2250 m, 15 Nov 1944, Steyermark 60174; Uaipán-tepui, alt 1200 m, 1-15 Feb 1948, K. D. Phelps & C. B. Hitchcock 431; Cerro Venamo (parte suroeste), cerca de los limites con la Guayana Inglesa, a lo largo del afluente derecho (oeste) subiendo el río Venamo, descendiendo el rio desde el campamento cerca de la union con el afluente Este, alt 950-1150 m, 29-30 Dec 1963, Steyermark, G. C. K. & E. Dunsterville 92405.

    Although Wernham gave British Guiana as the country from which Schomburgk collected Declieuxia roraimensis, Venezuela is the country through which Schomburgk passed on his travels to Roraima. Both Declieuxia roraimensis Wernh. and Psychotria cubitalis Standi. & Steyerm. show tetramerous flowers, absence of subtending bracts at the base of the lowest axes of the inflorescence, linear or subulate bracts in the inflorescence, and similar short, weak branches of the inflorescence. Both were collected from the Gran Sabana of Venezuela near the Venezuelan-British Guiana border, as are the other specimens cited above. Psychotria heterocarpa has the white fruits of the var roraimensis as well as showing absence of the basal involucral bracts of the inflorescence, but in other respects is somewhat intermediate with and intergrades into P. capitata subsp inundata var inundata.

    Were it not for the various intermediate specimens noted above between var inundata and var roraimensis, it would be possible to accept Psychotria cubitalis as a distinct taxon, as it has a colonial habit with subherbaceous stems, tetramerous flowers with relatively short corollas, inflorescence with relatively few, short axes, bracts absent from the base of the inflorescence, short, fewer-nerved leaves, and shorter stipular teeth. However, some of these characters are matched by the type of Declieuxia roraimensis.

    Of the intermediate specimens noted above, some, such as Steyermark, G. C. K. & E. Dunsterville 92405, possess the colonial, herbaceous habit with short stems, but have bracts at the base of the lowest axes of the inflorescence, as is typical in var inundata. On the other hand, Steyermark & Nilsson 18 shows small, tetramerous flowers 7 mm long, but is a shrub 3 m tall and the inflorescences may be subtended at their lowest axes by bracts, or these may be completely wanting. Of the other intermediate specimens noted, some possess purple- or blue-black fruits, while others are shrubs to small trees. The white or whitish fruits noted in the type collections of P. cubitalis and P. heterocarpa apparently must be considered as part of the variation within the var roraimensis. Although Tate 199 from Mount Roraima is a topotype of Declieuxia roraimensis, it must be placed under P. capitata subsp inundata var inundata, since it possesses bracts at the base of the lowest axes of the inflorescence and in other respects matches other characters more typical of var inundata.