Cardonaea jauaensis Aristeg., Maguire & Steyerm.

  • Authority

    Steyermark, Julian A. & Maguire, Bassett. 1972. The flora of the Meseta del Cerro Jáua. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 23: 833-892.

  • Family

    Asteraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cardonaea jauaensis Aristeg., Maguire & Steyerm.

  • Type

    Type. VENEZUELA. Bolívar: Meseta de Jáua, Cerro Jáua, cumbre de la portión central-occidental de la meseta, 4° 45' lat N, 64° 26' long oeste, 36 millas o 60 km noroeste de la mision de Campamento Sanidad del Rio Canaracuni, alt 1922-2100 m, 22-27 Mar 1967, wand-like stems in large rosette with spreading, thick-coriaceous leaves, rich green above, pale green below, maroon at base and on apical portion below; old inflorescence drooping; Julian A. Steyermark 97945 (holotype VEN, isotype NY).

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Arbor vel frutex ad 5-metralis omnino glabra, tronco simplice ad 10 cm diam attingenti; foliis coriaceis sessilibus ligulato-obovatis vel obovato-oblongis apice rotundatis basin versus vix vel paullo angustatis 13-15 × 4.5-6 cm, nervis lateralibus basi folii confertis utroque latere ca 15-17 valde erecto-adscendentibus fere parallelis utrinque elevatis prope marginem atque infra apicem valde anastomo santibus, venulis tertiariis reticulatis utrinque manifestis elevatis; inflorescentia infra apicem caulis axillari in fructu nutanti; pedunculo 7 cm longo 6-10 mm crasso; captulo 9-11 cm diam, ca 4-seriato, phyllaries extimis foliaceis suborbicularibus rotundatis 3 cm longis 4 cm latis valde ca 15-costatis, phyllaries ceteris valde concavo-convexis suborbicularibus vel late ovato-oblongis rotundatis 2.5-3 × 1.5-2 cm tenuiter costatis; floribus achaeniisque non visis.

  • Discussion

    This is one of the dominant and striking features of the summit vegetation of the Cerro Jaua where the summit camp was located. Unfortunately old fruiting heads only were available at the time of the visit by the junior author. However, the unique subparallel venation of the leaves, reminiscent of some of the Bonnetiaceae (Neblinaria), as well as Ochnaceae, and the large pedunculate, solitary fruiting heads with the large involucral bracts serve to characterize this as another distinct genus of the Guayana Mutiseae. It would appear that its closest affinities may lie with some Gongylolepis ancestry.