Ocotea schomburgkiana (Nees) Mez

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1964. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part V. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-278.

  • Family

    Lauraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Ocotea schomburgkiana (Nees) Mez

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Shrub or tree of varying height, bearing dioecious flowers, occurring in coastal Dutch and British Guiana, westward into the adjoining sandstone areas of the Guayana region. BRITISH GUIANA. Occasional in forest on white sands overlying bauxite, east of Ituni, 35 miles south of Mackenzie, Cowan 39237 ([female] fl. NY), occasional in margins of "islands" of forest in savannas, 39269 (fr. NY). VENEZUELA. Bolivar: (Hierba?) en calceta o sabanna de Urei, Rio Chicanan, Alto Cuyuni, Cardona 2773 (fr. NY), selvas del valle de Canaracaru, Alto Caura, 423 (fr. US) ; rainforest along Rio Apacara, Apacaratepui, Chimanta Massif, Steyermark 74650 ([female] fl. NY), wet, mossy forest with sandstone boulders, between Camp 3 and main line of sandstone bluff's, northwestern part of Abacapa-tepui, 75090 (fr. NY); las orillas del Rio Apacara, confluencia del Ancapa, region de Uriman, Bernardi 1404 (fr. NY); on Cerro Negro Parado, an east-west crystalline range on right bank of Rio Parguaza, just below El Carmen (about 50 river km from mouth), Wurdack & Monachino 40984 (fr.NY).

  • Discussion

    Oreodaphne schomburgkiana Nees, Linnaea 21: 519. 1848.

    Syntypes. Demerara, im Brittischen (Juiana, Rich. Schomburgk 464 ([male] fl.), 1336 ([female] fl.), 1738 ([male] fl.) (isotype's, NY); Suriname, Kegel 1302 (syntype not seen).

    Vernacular Name. Tavan-yek (Arekuna, Bernardi).

    An extremely variable species occurring widely within these areas. It is consistent in bearing leaves with usually prominent, loose reticulation on the upper surface, whereas on the lower surface, the reticulation is more compact. The small fruits are ovoid, tapering at the apex and apiculate, enclosed for one-third to one-half of their length by a thin-margined, hemispheric cupule, which, apparently owing to unequal growth, frequently appears to be suburceolate, at least in young stages. The aspect of the cited numbers collected by Steyermark, Bernardi, and Wurdack and Monachino appears at first glance to separate them from the typical material from British Guiana. The leaves are less broad and their venation dissimilar in that the reticulation on both surfaces is more compact as well as minute, in contrast to the loose reticulation above and the somewhat more dense reticulation beneath the leaf-blade of the syntypes. In other respects, the specimens from Venezuela closely resemble Schomburgk's numbers.

  • Distribution

    Distribution. Shrub or tree of varying height, bearing dioecious flowers, occurring in coastal Dutch and British Guiana, westward into the adjoining sandstone areas of the Guayana region.

    Guyana South America| Venezuela South America|