Piper wurdackii Yunck.
-
Authority
Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1964. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part V. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-278.
-
Family
Piperaceae
-
Scientific Name
-
Description
Latin Diagnosis - Frutex parvus, internodiis superis glanduloso-granulosis, foliis late ellipticis apice abrupte arcteque plus minusve falcatim acuminatis basi subaequilateraliter rotundatis cordulatis supra glabris subtus ad venas plus minusve adpresse puberulis ca. ad medium pinnatim venosis nerviis utrinque 8-9, petiolo ad laminam vaginato-alato; spicis valde apiculatis, bracteis triangulari-subpeltatis margine conferte fimbriatis, drupa oblonga angulata glabra apice depressotruncata, stigmatibus parvis sessilibus.
Species Description - A branching subshrub 1-2 m high; upper internodes stout, up to 12 cm long, glabrous, glandular-granular and dark when dry. Leaves broad-elliptic, the apex abruptly and narrowly somewhat falcately acuminate, the base subequilaterally rounded, cordulate, glabrous above, the nerves beneath appressed-puberulent, glabrescent, the midrib glabrate toward the base, appressed-puberulent upward, 11-14.5 cm wide and 20-25 cm or more long, pinnately nerved to about the middle, the nerves 8 or 9 on each side, subequidistantly spaced with the exception of the lowermost 3 or 4 pairs and the uppermost slightly more distant pair, prominent beneath, with conspicuous cross-connecting-anastomosing nervules, the areolas strongly angular as viewed by transmitted light, drying green above, brown beneath, chartaceous, translucent, pellucid-dotted; petiole stout, 2.5-4 cm or more long, glabrous, vaginate-winged to the blade, the wings deciduous. Spikes 4 mm thick and 9.5 cm long, strongly apiculate, the point 2-5 mm long, puberulent, the peduncle stout, about 1.5 cm long, glabrous, the bracts triangularsubpeltate, densely marginally fringed, the drupes annularly arranged, oblong, laterally compressed and angular, glabrous, with truncate-depressed apex and small, sessile stigmas.
-
Discussion
Type. Cerro de la Neblina, Rio Yatua, Amazonas, Venezuela, locally frequent in talus forest between Camps 3 and 4, alt. 900-1000 m, 8 Nov 1957, B. Maguire, John J. Wurdack & Celia Maguire 42007 (holotype, NY).
The leaf shape and size, numerous nerves more or less puberulent beneath, abruptly acuminate apex and apiculate spikes characterize this species. It bears considerable resemblance to P. glabrescens (Miquel) C. de Candolle, but differs in having more numerous lateral nerves, stouter and longer spikes, etc. It is named for one of the collectors.