Monographs Details:
Authority:

Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part X. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 29: 1-288.
Family:

Ericaceae
Scientific Name:

Vaccinium euryanthum
Description:

Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. VENEZUELA. Edo. Bolivar: Cordillera Epicara, Cerro Piton, Rio Chicanan, Alto Rio Cuyuni, Quebrada Franela, 400 m alt, 9-11 Sep 1962, Maguire et al. 53712; Cordillera Epicara, Cerro Piton, between Salto Piton and Quebrada Franela, 400 m alt, 9-11 Sep 1962, Maguire et al 53682; Ilu-tepui, in savanna between San Rafael and Enemasic, 1000-1200 m alt, 5 Feb & 25 Mar 1952, Maguire 33173, 33601; flu-tepui, in Kamarang headwaters on Gran Sabana, 900-1000 m alt, 6 Mar 1952, Maguire 33291; Chimanta Massif, Churi-tepui (Muru-tepuí), northwest cumbres, 2100-2200 m alt, 24 Jan 1953, Wurdack 34182; NE of Luepa, vicinity of road campamento 150 at km 150 in vaUey of savanna of Rio Uarama below Uarama-tepui, 1220 m alt, 24-25 Apr 1960, Steyermark & Nilsson 683; Auyan-tepui, vicinity of Guayaraca in the lower meseta above the valley of Kamarata, 1000 m alt, 18 May 1964, Steyermark 94188. Frontier between Brazil and Venezuela: Serra do Sol, occasional on summit ridge, 2250 m alt, 28 Dec 1954, Maguire & Maguire 40431, 40432.

Discussion:

This species of Vaccinium is often confused with Thibaudia nutans Kl. and Orthaea thibaudioides (herein described), which it closely resembles vegetatively as well as in habit of inflorescence and pedicels. All three taxa have red corollas and bibracteolate pedicels. From the above two species Vaccinium euryanthum may be distinguished by the more broadly campanulate instead of narrow cylindrical corollas and by the dehiscence of the tubules through terminal or subterminal, relatively short pores, instead of elongate introrse clefts. Sometimes, these two species of Thibaudia (nutans and ulei) have the elongate introrse clefts appearing only part way down from the apex, creating a false impression that they are mainly terminal pores, but more careful dissection reveals that the clefts are actually more deeply elongate as characteristic of Thibaudia and some Orthaea. Several specimens previously determined as Thibaudia nutans prove upon study of corolla and tubules to be Vaccinium euryanthum. These are Tate 1302 and Steyermark 94188 from Auyan-tepui, and Tate 284 and Pinkus 39 from Roraima, all from Estado Bolivar, Venezuela. The following collections may be referred to V. euryanthum, but differ in the leaf blades cordate to subcordate at the base: VENEZUELA. Edo. Bolivar: Region of Rio Icabaru-Rio Hacha, 450-850 m alt, 29 Dec 1955, Bernardi sn. GUYANA. Upper Mazaruni River Basin, Ayanganna Plateau, edge of savanna, G. S. Camp 1, along traU to Ayanganna, 747 m alt, 20 Aug 1960, Tillett et al 45198. The following collections may also be referred to V. euryanthum, but differ in the pubescence of the young stems, leaves and often the pedicels, hypanthium and calyx: VENEZUELA. Edo. Bolivar: Cerro Guaiquinima, Cumbre Camp, 1800 m alt, 1 Jan 1952, Maguire 32898. GUYANA. Samwarakna-tipu (Holi-tipu), Kamarang River-Wenamu Trail, Samwarakna Creek, 1100 m alt, 9-11 Nov 1951, Maguire & Fanshawe 32487, 32488, 32572.
Distribution:

Venezuela South America|