Voyria flavescens Griseb.

  • Authority

    Maas, Paulus J. M. & Ruyters, P. 1986. Voyria and Voyriella (saprophytic Gentianaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 41: 1-93. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Gentianaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Voyria flavescens Griseb.

  • Type

    Type. Brazil. Pará: Colares, Poeppig 3064 (holotype, GOET; isotypes, G, HAL, LE, MO, P).

  • Synonyms

    Disadena flavescens (Griseb.) Miq., Leiphaimos flavescens (Griseb.) Gilg, Voyria bilobata A.Robyns

  • Description

    Species Description - Herbs, 3-15 cm high. Stems simple, solitary or a few together, orange to white, internodes 0.2-1.5 cm long. Roots cylindric, tapering to the apex, 1-13 mm long, 0.3-0.6 mm diam., glabrous. Leaves orange to white, connate in their lower half, triangular to narrowly triangular or ovate, 2-7 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, the basal part of the stem sometimes densely covered with densely imbricate leaves to 3 mm long and 1 mm wide. Flowers solitary, 5-merous, rarely subtended by two narrowly triangular bracts to 3 mm long and 1 mm wide. Pedicels 5-30 mm long. Calyx orange, red, or white, campanulate, 3-6 mm long, tube 2-3 mm long, lobes ovate to triangular, usually remote, 1-2(-3) mm long, 0.5-2 mm wide, apex obtuse to acute, sinuses usually obtuse, calyx scales present. Corolla salverform, yellow (yellowish white to white), 11-20 mm long, tube cylindric, often swollen at the base, 8-14 mm long, lobes narrowly ovate to ovate, (2-)3-6 mm long, 0.5-2 mm wide, apex obtuse to acute. Stamens inserted 0.5-2 mm below the throat, anthers 1.5-3 mm long, subsessile, dorsifixed, coherent, thecae tapering to the base, apex rounded. Ovary ellipsoid, 3-6 x 1-2.5 mm, sessile, provided with two sessile, elliptic glands near the base. Style as long as the ovary, rarely shorter, stigma rotate, sometimes 2-lobed, homed. Capsule narrowly ovoid, to 10 x 3 mm, probably dehiscing by two longitudinal slits. Seeds irregularly ellipsoid, 0.1-0.2 x 0.05-0.08 mm.

  • Discussion

    Herbarium material of Voyria flavescens shows some superficial resemblance to Voyria aphylla, both sharing solitary, yellow flowers. Voyria flavescens is quite distinct, however, by its ellipsoid seeds and its ovary which is provided with two basal, sessile glands. Another typical character is its stem-base which in many specimens is very densely covered with leaves, in contrast to all other species of Voyria.

    Gehrt s.n. (SP 32218, U) from Pirajussára, São Paulo, Brazil fits V. flavescens in most characters, but is aberrant by having blackish, coral-shaped roots to 10 mm long and 1 mm thick.

  • Distribution

    Mexico and Central America, Trinidad and tropical South America; in forests, from sea level to 900 m; flowering all year, particularly from November to March.

    Mexico North America| Chiapas Mexico North America| San Luis Potosí Mexico North America| Belize Central America| Costa Rica South America| Panama Central America| Colombia South America| Amazonas Colombia South America| Antioquia Colombia South America| Caquetá Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America| Nariño Colombia South America| Putumayo Colombia South America| Santander Colombia South America| Vaupés Colombia South America| Amazonas Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Ecuador South America| Pastaza Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America| San Martín Peru South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America| Maranhão Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Pernambuco Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America|