Salpinga paleacea Wurdack
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1958. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part III. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-156.
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Family
Melastomataceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - A congeneribus differt petiolis venis foliorum subtus cum pilis paleaceis grandibus armatis. Subherbacea simplicicaulis, caule subprostrato robusto ad 20 cm longo, ca. 1 cm crasso, ad nodos densissime paleaceo-setoso (setis ea. 10 mm longis, basi 1-1.5 mm latis) alioqui glabro. Petiolus 6-15 X 0.2-0.4 cm, modice paleaceosetosus et primum gracili-strigosus pilis gracilibus mox cadueis; lamina 12-20 X 9-14 cm, late elliptica vel suborbicularis, apice rotundata vel brevissime abrupteque obtuso-apiculata, basi paulo cordata, 7-nervia nervis et nervulis supra paulo insculptis subtus elevatis nervis secundariis 5-10 mm inter se distantibus, margine dense setuloso-ciliata setulis subincurvis 2-3 mm longis, supra primum dense villosula mox glabrata, subtus inter nervulos glabra ad nervos primarios et secundarios modice appresso-setosa (setis longo-attenuatis ad 10 X 0.2 mm) et ad nervos nervulosque gracili-strigulosa pilis laxis paulo cadueis. Pedunculus 20-30 cm longus, ad nodum subbasilarem dense paleaceo-setosus alioqui primum gracili-strigulosus demum glabratus. Flores 5-meri, in ramis umbellatis ad pedunculum summum secundi; rami divaricati basi modice paleaceo-setosi primum cum pilis gracilibus crispulis modice armati (pilis demum paulo caducis) ad anthesim 1-2 cm longi demum ad 3 cm longi. Pedicelli 1-2 mm longi; hypanthium (ad torum) 3.3 X 2.5 mm, sparse gracili-strigulosum; calyx supra torum 1.3 mm coalitus, lobis 0.5 X 2.9 mm, rotundatis extus cum dente 0.2 mm alto non eminenti armatis. Petala eciliata glabra, 10.8-11.S x 7-8 mm, asymmetrice obovata apice rotundata. Stamina dimorphica. Staminum maiorum: nlamentum 4.4 mm longum; thecae descendentes subulatae 5.2 mm longae, connectivo postice basi brevissime (ad 0.15 mm) calearato et in appendicein antherae parallelem 2 X 0.4-0.8 mm producto appendice apiee breviter (0.4 mm) bilobata lobis rotundatis. Staminum minorum: nlamentum 4 mm longum; thecae descendentes subulata 3.2 mm longae, connectivo postice indistincte calearato et in appendicem antherae parallelem 1.5 X 0.5 mm producto appendice apice rotundata non lobata, Stylus 6.8 X 0.8- (apicem versus) 0.2 mm, glaber; ovarium g-labrum, 3-loeulare, apice truncatum; hypanthium fructiferum ca. 3 mm longum, 7-10 mm pedicellatum teres (indistincte 10-striolatum), calyce divaricato 6-7 mm lato; semina 1 X 0.4 mm laevia pyramidata.
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Discussion
Type: perennial herb, frequent in deep humus at base of rocks, summit of upper east-facing escarpment of Mt. Bbeni, elev. 700 m, British Guiana, Oct 15, 1951, Bassett Maguire 32119 (NY).
None of the other known species of Salpinga has a paleaceous indument. In fruit shape, S. paleacea is intermediate between the southeast Brazilian species (with trigonous fruit) and the remainder of the genus (with long hypanthia). The stamens resemble those of S. sccunda Schr. & Mart, ex DC. and S. maguirei Gleason (and probably 8. ciliata Pilger) in having a very minute basal spur on the connective rather than the prominent spur pictured by Triana (Trans. Linn. Soc. 28: pl 6, f. 80. 1871) for S. maryaritacea (Naud.) Tr. and S. longifolia (Cham.) Tr. The habit of 8. paleacea is rather reminiscent of that of Tococa platyphylla Benth.