Taxon Details: Tepuia speciosa A.C.Sm.
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Narratives:
Family:
Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)
Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Tepuia speciosa A.C.Sm.
Tepuia speciosa A.C.Sm.
Primary Citation:
Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 29: 337. 1950
Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 29: 337. 1950
Accepted Name:
This name is currently accepted.
This name is currently accepted.
Description:
Description: Shrub to 2.5 m tall (subrepent); mature stems terete, striate, short-ferruginous-tomentose becoming cinerous then glabrate; twigs flexuous, terete to subterete, densely short-ferruginous-tomentose. Leaves coriaceous, basically flat, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, (3-)4-7.5 x (1.5-)2-4 cm, base rounded or cuneate and short-decurrent, apex rounded to acute, margin entire, subrevolute, bearing 3-4 pairs of round, sessile to slightly raised, pustular glands near and onto the petiole, young blades ferruginous-tomentose but glabrate and then nitid above, densely and persistently dark brown tomentose beneath; pinnately nerved with midrib impressed above and raised beneath, lateral nerves (3-5 per side) plane to slightly raised above and raised beneath but usually obscure; petiole stout, subterete, (5-)7-13 mm long, tomentose as stems. Inflorescence rarely branched near base, 5-11-flowered; rachis flexuous, subterete, 2-7.5 cm long, densely and shortly ferruginous-tomentose so as to obscure actual surface; floral bract ovate to elliptic, keeled or flat, 3-10 mm long, obtuse, tomentose as rachis; pedicel subterete, 3-7(-10) mm long; bracteoles broadly ovate, 2-4 mm long, acute. Flowers with calyx tomentose as rachis, (5-)6-9 mm long, lobes oblong-ovate to ovate, (3.5-)5-6.5 mm long, acute, tomentose within in distal half; corolla 8-10 mm long, ferruginous-tomentose on exposed surfaces opposite the lobes and glabrous between, dull rose (to blood-red within) when fresh, lobes ovate to deltoid, 4-5 mm long, acute, ferruginous at tips within; stamens 4-7 mm long; filaments 2-5 mm long, densely tufted with reddish to tan hairs; anthers 2-3.5 mm long; thecae ca. 1-2 mm long, base rounded; tubules 1-1.2 mm long, dehiscing by slightly oblique, terminal pores; ovary densely short-ferruginous-tomentose; style glabrous, 2.5-4.5 mm long. Berry spherical, glabrate, ca. 1 cm diam., dark ferruginous.
Distribution: Endemic to the Venezuelan Guayana and known only from the Edo. Bolívar at Auyán-tepui (seven collections) and Chimantá (one collection), where it is found over igneous or sandstone rock formations in open, low shrubby vegetation, at elevations of 1690 to 2350 m. Flowering Jan-May; fruiting Feb, but collections too few to really say much about phenology.
Type: Venezuela. Bolívar: Auyán-tepui, Sep 1937 (fl), Cardona 257 (holotype, US, photo NY neg. 12218, frag. NY; isotype, VEN, photo NY neg. 7174).
Conservation status: Rare and endangered.
Description: Shrub to 2.5 m tall (subrepent); mature stems terete, striate, short-ferruginous-tomentose becoming cinerous then glabrate; twigs flexuous, terete to subterete, densely short-ferruginous-tomentose. Leaves coriaceous, basically flat, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, (3-)4-7.5 x (1.5-)2-4 cm, base rounded or cuneate and short-decurrent, apex rounded to acute, margin entire, subrevolute, bearing 3-4 pairs of round, sessile to slightly raised, pustular glands near and onto the petiole, young blades ferruginous-tomentose but glabrate and then nitid above, densely and persistently dark brown tomentose beneath; pinnately nerved with midrib impressed above and raised beneath, lateral nerves (3-5 per side) plane to slightly raised above and raised beneath but usually obscure; petiole stout, subterete, (5-)7-13 mm long, tomentose as stems. Inflorescence rarely branched near base, 5-11-flowered; rachis flexuous, subterete, 2-7.5 cm long, densely and shortly ferruginous-tomentose so as to obscure actual surface; floral bract ovate to elliptic, keeled or flat, 3-10 mm long, obtuse, tomentose as rachis; pedicel subterete, 3-7(-10) mm long; bracteoles broadly ovate, 2-4 mm long, acute. Flowers with calyx tomentose as rachis, (5-)6-9 mm long, lobes oblong-ovate to ovate, (3.5-)5-6.5 mm long, acute, tomentose within in distal half; corolla 8-10 mm long, ferruginous-tomentose on exposed surfaces opposite the lobes and glabrous between, dull rose (to blood-red within) when fresh, lobes ovate to deltoid, 4-5 mm long, acute, ferruginous at tips within; stamens 4-7 mm long; filaments 2-5 mm long, densely tufted with reddish to tan hairs; anthers 2-3.5 mm long; thecae ca. 1-2 mm long, base rounded; tubules 1-1.2 mm long, dehiscing by slightly oblique, terminal pores; ovary densely short-ferruginous-tomentose; style glabrous, 2.5-4.5 mm long. Berry spherical, glabrate, ca. 1 cm diam., dark ferruginous.
Distribution: Endemic to the Venezuelan Guayana and known only from the Edo. Bolívar at Auyán-tepui (seven collections) and Chimantá (one collection), where it is found over igneous or sandstone rock formations in open, low shrubby vegetation, at elevations of 1690 to 2350 m. Flowering Jan-May; fruiting Feb, but collections too few to really say much about phenology.
Type: Venezuela. Bolívar: Auyán-tepui, Sep 1937 (fl), Cardona 257 (holotype, US, photo NY neg. 12218, frag. NY; isotype, VEN, photo NY neg. 7174).
Conservation status: Rare and endangered.
Flora and Monograph Treatment(s):
Tepuia speciosa A.C.Sm.: [Article] Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part X. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 29: 1-288.
Tepuia speciosa A.C.Sm.: [Article] Luteyn, James L., et al. 1995. Ericaceae, Part II. The Superior-Ovaried Genera (Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Rhododendroideae, and Vaccinioideae P.P.). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 66: 560.
Tepuia speciosa A.C.Sm.: [Article] Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part X. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 29: 1-288.
Tepuia speciosa A.C.Sm.: [Article] Luteyn, James L., et al. 1995. Ericaceae, Part II. The Superior-Ovaried Genera (Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Rhododendroideae, and Vaccinioideae P.P.). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 66: 560.