Alibertia myrciifolia var. tepuiensis Steyerm.
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett. 1965. The Botany of the Guayana Highland. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 12 (3): 1-285.
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Family
Rubiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Shrub 2-3 m high; flowers white; occasional in woodland, northeast slopes, Serra Tepequem, Territorio do Rio Braneo, Brazil, at alt. 800 m, 22 Nov 1954, Bassett Maguire d Celia K. Maguire 40009 (holotype NY).
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - A var. myrciifolia differt foliis majoribus, laminis late ovatis 7.5-15 cm longis 4.5-8.5 cm latis, acumine elongate 12-15 mm longo, nervis lateralibus utroque latere 10-12.
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Discussion
Alibertia myrciifolia possesses smaller fruits than in the other species treated in this paper. The fruits are globose, 10-11 mm high and 10-11 mm broad. The tips of the shoots around the inflorescence and in the vicinity of the leaf-nodes are usually glossy with a lacquered resinous exudate. In var myrciifolia the leaves are often reduced to only 3-5 cm long and 1.5-3 cm broad with shortly prolonged obtuse acumen of usually 2-3 mm in length, but in some collections (Steyermark 74676) attaining 10 mm with leaf-blades up to 11 cm long and 5 cm wide. The latter collection approaches the var. tepuiensis.