Vaccinium chimantense Maguire, Steyerm. & Luteyn

• Authority

  Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part X. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 29: 1-288.

• Family

  Ericaceae

• Scientific Name

  Vaccinium chimantense Maguire, Steyerm. & Luteyn

• Description

  Latin Diagnosis - Frutex 1-4-metralis, ramulis glabris; foliis petiolatis, petiolis 1.5-3 mm glabris, laminis lanceolato-ellipticis apice acutis vel subacutis vel obtusiusculis basi angustatis acutis vel subacutis 6-13 x 3-6 mm revolutis utrinque glabris, marginibus minute incurvato-crenulatis supra medium dentibus 3-4 instructis vel integris, nervis lateralibus supra nuUis subtus inconspicue elevatis divaricate patentibus 4-6; inflorescentiis axiUaribus vel subterminalibus ca 7-floris, rhachidi ca 12 mm longa glabra; bracteis sub pedicellis lanceolatis acutis 2 mm longis glabris, marginibus basin versus glandulis praeditis exceptis; pedicellis 2.5 mm longis glabris; pedicellorum bracteolis solitariis ovato-lanceolatis acuminatis 1.5-0.5 mm glabris prope supraque medium insidentibus, marginibus glandulis 4-5 prope basin atque 1 prope medium praeditis; calyce hypanthioque ad dimidium longitudinem corollae attingenti 2.5 mm longo glabro, hypanthio (calycis tubo) breviter campanulato 1 X 1.3 mm; calycis limbo 2 x 0.7-0.8 mm, lobis triangularibus acutis 1 x 1 mm; corolla urceolata 4 x 2.6 mm glabra, tubo 3 mm longo, lobis late suborbiculariovatis obtusis 0.9-1 X 1 mm; staminibus liberis, antheris ligulato-oblongis extremitatibus rotundatis, thecis papillatis linearibus 0.6-1 mm longis, tubulis 0.4-0.7 mm longis per poros rotundatos 1-1.7 mm longos terminales dehiscentibus, filamentis ligulatis 1.6-2 mm longis marginibus in dimidio superiore interdumque paginis manifeste ciholatis vel pubescentibus ceterum glabris; stylo 3 mm longo glabro apice truncato; fructu globoso 6 x 6 mm.

• Discussion

  Type. VENEZUELA. Edo. Bolivar: Chimanta Massif, Torono-tepui, 2165-2180 m alt, 9 Feb 1955, at edge of escarpment in and among zanjones, Steyermark & Wurdack 669 (holotype NY, isotypes F, VEN). Paratypes. VENEZUELA. Edo. Bolivar: Chimanta Massif, Central section, summit, swampy savanna in depression along tributary valley of east branch of headwaters of Rio Tirica, 2120 m alt, 13 Feb 1955, Steyermark & Wurdack 838; Chimanta Massif, east-central portion of summit of Apacara-tepui, 2450-2500 m alt, 21-22 Jun 1953, Steyermark 75937. This taxon is related to V. roraimense N.E. Br., described from Mount Roraima,Venezuela, from which it differs in the smaller corolla, shorter glabrous pedicels, glabrous upper portion of branchlets, and smaller, less crenulate, and narrower leaf blades.