Psychotria muscosa subsp. breviloba 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. Heights of Aripo, Trinidad, 10-26 Jan 1922, Broadway 9823 (holotype NY).
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - A subsp muscosa ramis petiolisque glabris recedit, stipularum dentibus brevioribus 1 mm longis plerumque caducis, vaginis processibus aculeatis vel aristatis numerosis (4-20) usque 1 mm longis extus infra marginem superiorem instructs; bracteis bracteolisque apice late rotundatis vel subtruncatis; calycis lobis plerumque reductis brevibus late suborbiculari-triangularibus plerumque 0.2-0.3 mm longis et lobo unico elongato usque 1.5 mm longo; pedunculo plerumque breviore 3-7 mm longo vel omnino sessili; laminarum costa media subtus glabra vel pilis patentibus secus marginem instructa sed ceterum non puberula.
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Discussion
The subspecies breviloba is distinguished from typical subsp muscosa by the differences indicated in the key above. The two subspecies are geographically mostly separated, typical subsp muscosa being found in the West Indies, whereas subsp breviloba is characteristic of northern South America, Trinidad, and Tobago. The following specimens from Tobago have some characters shared by both subspecies: Sandwith 1852 (Mount St. George-Castara Road, forest reserve of Main Ridge, 15 Oct 1852) shows stipular teeth 1-2.5 mm long and some puberulence near the summit of stem, and Broadway 3526 has stipular teeth 1 mm long, but is puberulent on petioles, stems, and the lower midrib of the leaf-blades.