Tetrapterys crispa A.Juss.
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part XI. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 32: 1-391.
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Family
Malpighiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Woody vine, the stems sericeous to soon glabrate. Lamina of the larger leaves (11-)13-20 cm long, (5-)6-10.5 cm wide, elliptical or slightly ovate or obovate, cuneate to rounded, rarely subcordate, at the base, short-acuminate at the apex, sericeous to glabrate, with some hairs often persisting below especially on the midrib, bearing a row of tiny (ca 0.2 mm in diameter) circular impressed glands below set in from the margin, and with the tertiary veins strongly parallel; petiole (12-)14-20(-27) mm long, sericeous to glabrate, eglandular; stipules connate in interpetiolar pairs, the pair triangular, caducous, leaving a scar 2.5-4 mm wide, stretched to 5.5 mm wide at older nodes. Inflorescence sericeous to glabrate, paniculate, the branches terminating in umbels of 4 flowers, the umbel raised on a peduncle 3-6 mm long, the thin non-floriferous bracts 8-12 mm long, shortpetiolate, suborbicular, subcordate, the floriferous bracts 1-1.5 mm long, the peduncle 3-7.5 mm long, the bracteoles 1 mm long and wide, eglandular or abaxially callose, nearly or quite apical. Pedicel 5-10 mm long, sericeous to glabrate. Sepals 1.5-2 mm wide, rounded, glabrous except for the ciliolate margin, appressed in anthesis, the lateral 4 biglandular, the glands 2.5-4 mm long, elliptical or obovate, often decurrent. Petals yellow, glabrous, entire or sinuate, the lateral 4 with the claw 1.5 mm long, the limb 4.5-5.5 mm long, 4-4.5 mm wide; posterior petal similar, the claw up to 2 mm long and thicker. Filaments 1.5-2 mm long, glabrous, straight, ca 1/3 connate; anthers 1.2-1.5 mm long, glabrous. Ovary 1.5 mm high, sericeous; styles ca 2 mm long, the anterior slenderer, glabrous, straight, the stigmas apparently internal and decurrent. Samara sericeous to glabrate, the upper lateral wings 22-35 mm long and 9-13 mm wide, the lower lateral wings 11-15(-20) mm long and 6-10 mm wide; dorsal wing up to 3-6 mm wide, entire or lobed; nut smooth between dorsal and lateral wings.
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Discussion
Type. Richard, Kourou River, French Guiana (P). It seems likely that several species have been confused under this name. However, I cannot revise the group here, as it is mostly extra-Guayanan. The description given above is based only on the collections cited. The photograph of the type distributed by Field Museum (negative 35597) shows two specimens posed together. The specimen on the left fits the original description perfectly and is very probably the type. The right-hand third of the photo, including the samaras, is a specimen of Tetrapterys mucronata. There is no reason to believe that Jussieu confused these species or based T. crispa on both of these collections. The error was probably the fault of whoever posed the two specimens for the photograph, presumably Francis Macbride.
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Distribution
Distribution. Northern South America. Collections from Guayana and nearby: GUYANA. Wabuwak, Kanuku Mts, Nov flr. Forest Dept. 5887 (NY); Utschi Mouth, Kamarang River, upper Mazaruni River basin, elev 1700 m, Oct flr/frt, Tillett & Tillett 45782 (NY). VENEZUELA. Terr. Delta Amacuro: downstream from San Victor, Río Amacuro, Nov frt, Steyermark 87295 (NY); Río Cuyubini, Cerro La Paloma, elev 100-200 m, Nov frt, Steyermark 87632 (MICH, NY). Bolívar: cloud forest, vicinity of Deborah, 45 km N of T
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