Psychotria ligularis var. carapichea (Poir.) 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. In sylvis ad ripam amnis Galibiensis, French Guiana, Aublet.
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Discussion
Tapogomea carapichea Poir. in Lam., Encycl. 7: 587. 1806.
Carapichea guianensis Aubl., Pl. Guian. 1: 168. pl. 64. 1775.
Cephaelis guianensis (Aubl.) Standi., Field Mus. Publ. Bot. 4: 335. 1929.
Cephaelis guianensis (Aubl.) Brem., Rec. Trav. Bot. Neerl. 31: 297. 1934.
Cephaelis involucrata Willd., Sp. Pl. 1: 979. 1798.
Carapichea aubletii DC., Prodr. 4: 536. 1830.
The var carapichea is the commoner variation of Psychotria ligularis. The four outermost involucral bracts are conspicuously elongated and enclose numerous (sometimes over 100) other bracts within the head which are stramineous and conspicuously dendritic-veined. The flowers are subtended by two bracteoles, similar in shape to the larger bracts, but only 4-4.5 × 1.5 mm with numerous delicate hairs attached to the base of the hypanthium. The seeds on their inner face are provided with a well-developed furrow running longitudinally down the center.
The type specimen of Carapichea guianensis Aubl. at BM shows the broader-leaved variation with the broader involucral bracts characteristic of the var carapichea.