Pleonotoma dendrotricha Sandwith
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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
Bignoniaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - P. variabili (Jacq.) Miers affinis, sed indumento denso pilorum parvorum ramosorum stellatiformium secus ramulos folia inflorescentiasque conspicuo, praeterea ovulis pro loculo 6-seriatis differt. P. tetraquetra (Cham.) Bur., Brasiliae australis incola, quae ovula pro loculo 6-seriata etiam praebet, indumento simili sed e pilis multo majoribus constituto gaudet, praeterea foliis semper triternatis lobis corollinis majoribus differt. Frutex ope cirrhorum scandens; ramuli siecitate brunnei, pilis parvis furfuraceis ramosis dendroideis stellatiformibus dense induti; pseudostipulae haud foliaceae, lineari-spathulatae, apice glanduliferae. Folia biternata, petiolo rhachi pinnarum petiolulis siecitate brunneis indumento ramulorum subtomentosis; petiolus 1.5-2 cm longus; pinnae binae trifoliolatae ad 13 cm longae; petioluli laterales circiter 5 mm longi, terminales ad 1.8 cm longi; foliola pinnarum inaequalia, lateralia terminali minora, omnia chartacea, utrinque sed praesertim subtus indumento dendroideo stellatiformi pubescentia, subtus quidem mollia subvelutina, supra etiam lepidoto-punctata, costa nervisque supra subplanis tenuissime prominulis subtus prominentibus, supra intricatissime rugosulo-subasperula. Racemi breves, circiter ad 2 cm longi, ubique eodem indumento subtomentosi; pedicelli vix usque ad 1 cm longi; braeteae pleraeque eirciter 1 mm longae, imae tantum longiores. Calyx tubuloso-campanulatus, 7-8.5 mm longus, apice ad 7 mm latus, dense minute pubescens vel demum fere glabrescens, sub apice brevissime denticulato plus minusve incrassato-verrucosus atque glandulas gerens. Corolla teste lectore alba, anguste campanulato-infundibularis, 5-6 em longa, limbo siecitate ad 2.8 cm diametro; tubus parte basali anguste cylindrica 1.5-1.8 cm longa, apicem versus ad latitudinem 1.5-1.7 em ampliatus, extra nisi sub lobis glaber, intus zona lata pilorum sub insertione staminum praeditus; lobi majores circiter 1.3 cm longi, 1.2 cm lati, omnes utrinque pilis ramosis furfuraceis pubescentes praeterea glanduloso-lepidoti. Stamina circiter 1.5 cm supra tubi basin inserta, glabra, longiora cireiter 2.4 cm breviora 1.7 cm longa, thecis antherarum divarieatis 3.5 mm longis; staminodium 4 mm longum. Discus pulvinari-eupulatus, fere 1.5 mm altus. Ovarium ovoideo-oblongum, 1.5 mm latum, crassum, plusminusve costatum sulcatumque, lepidotum; stylus circiter 3 em longus, conspicue sulcatus; ovula plurima (ultra 80), in quoque loculo 6-seriata. Capsula lineari-oblonga, c. .45 cm longa, ad 1.7 cm lata, minute dendroideo-pubescens atque lepidota, praeterea glandulis magnis patelliformibus immersis notata; semina omnino pallide brunnea, alis latis membranaceis, 1.2 cm longa, 4-4.5 cm lata.
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Discussion
Type: VENEZUELA: Territorio Amazonas, Rio Orinoco, 1-10 km below San Fernando de Atabapo, 150 m. fl. May 11, 1954, J. Silverio Level 67 (holotype K, isotype NY). "Bejuco. Flores blancas."
This interesting plant occupies a position between P. variabilis and P. tetraquetra, having the simply biternate 6-foliolate leaves and corolla of the former, and the "dendroid" type of indumentum and 6-seriate ovules of the latter. It is worth remarking here that P clematis (H.B.K.) Miers, which I have elsewhere kept separate from P variabilis on the grounds of the smaller calyx and corolla and the much narrower capsule (see Fl. Trinidad & Tobago 2(5) : 339), apparently differs further from that species in producing frequently, or even usually, thrice ternately pinnate leaves, whereas all the specimens I have seen of P. variabilis bear only simply biternate, 6-foliolate leaves with or without a tendril. The description of the fruit and seeds is taken from the Brazilian collections, which also show larger leaves with longer petioles and petiolules, and larger leaflets, becoming 5 cm wide and 10 cm long.