Clidemia heptamera Wurdack

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Melastomataceae

  • Scientific Name

    Clidemia heptamera Wurdack

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - A congeneribus vesiciferis differt floribus plerumque 7-meris. Frutex 0.5-1.5 m ; rami teretes cum foliorum venis subtus petiolis formicariisque modice pilis barbellatis debilibus ad 0.5 mm longis obsiti et dense vel modice glanduloso-setosi pilis laevibus plerumque 2-4 mm longis, ad nodos et in petiolis supra dense appresso-setosi pilis barbellatis 1.5-3 mm longis stramineis. Folia plerumque disparilia, in superficie supra modice strigosa pilis laxis glanduliferis 1-2.5 mm longis subtus sparse glanduloso-setosa ad margines crenato-serrata dentibus ca. 1 mm profundis et 2-3 mm inter se distantibus. Folia maiora ad petioli apicem vesiculif era; petioli (vesicis exclusis) 0.4-2 cm longi; vesicae 1.5-3 cm longae oblongae vel elliptico-oblongae; lamina 11-20 X 6-12 cm elliptica vel ovato-elliptica apice breviter (ad 1.5 cm) hebeti-acuminata basi ad 7 mm cordata 7- vel sub-9-nervata. Folia minora vesica destituta vel vesica ad 1.3 cm longa armata; petioli (vesicis exclusis) 0.2-1.2 cm longi; lamina 4-11 X 2.5-7 cm late elliptica apice ca. 0.5 cm hebeti-acuminata basi rotundata vel ad 4 mm cordata 5-7-nervata. Inflorescentiae in foliorum superiorum axillis 1-2-fasciculatae 1-2-florae. Pedunculus ad 5 mm longus cum pedicellis hypanthiisque modice vel dense pilis barbellatis ad 0.4 mm longis obsitus ad nodos pilis barbellatis ad 1.5 mm longis dense armatus; pedicelli 6-9 mm longi; bracteolae 1-1.2 X 0.3 mm lanceolatae strigulosae ca. 0.5 mm infra hypanthium insertae persistentes; flores (6-)7-meri. Hypanthium (ad torum) 3 x 4 mm; calycis tubus 0.3 mm altus, lobis interioribus 1.1 X 1.9 mm late ovatis apice rotundatis ad margines laceratociliolatis, dentibus exterioribus lobos interiores aequantibus 1-4 setis glanduliferis ca. 1 mm longis armatis. Petala 6.5-7 X 3-4 mm obovato-oblonga apice 1-2 setulis glanduliferis armata ad margines apicem versus vix erosa. Stamina glabra isomorphica; filamenta 2.8-2.9 mm longa; antherarum thecae 2.7 mm longae vix curvatae obscure convolutae apice centraliter uniporosae, poro 0.1-0.15 mm diam, connectivo non prolongato basi dorsaliter dente oblongo hebeti interdum cum setula 0.2-0.3 mm longa terminato. Stylus 4.5 X 0.4 mm; stigma expansum 0.7 mm diam; ovarium 3-loculare 3/4-inferum apice in collum lobulatum 0.2 mm altum sparsissime glanduloso-setulosum (setulis 0.1 mm longis) circum stylum protractum. Semina numerosa vix immatura 0.6 X 0.3-0.35 mm obcuneata dense prominenterque muriculata.

  • Discussion

    Type. Buds white, fruit red, frequent on slopes of Mt. Ayanganna, Pakaraima Mts., British Guiana, alt. 1000-1500 m, 5-6 Feb 1955, Bassett Maguire, W . M. C. Bagshaw, & Celia K. Maguire 40572 (holotype U S 2342568). Paratypes. BRITISH GUIANA, Pakaraima Mts. Membaru-Kurupung trail: alt. 1000 m, Maguire & Fanshawe 32352. Mahdia River valley; Mt. Ebeni, alt. 700 m, Maguire 32120. VENEZUELA, Edo. Bolivar. Cerro La Danta: headwaters of Rio Venamo, alt. 1040-1060 m, Steyermark & Nilsson 37. Chimanta Massif: Abacapa-tepui, Steyermark 74818.

    Of the 10 available flowers in the various collections, 7 were 7-merous and 3 were 6-merous. In overall features, no other species of Clidemia is suggestive of very close relationship with C. heptamera. Among the myrmecophilous species, perhaps the 5-merous C. heterophylla (Desr.) Gl. and C. juruensis Pilger are closest, but neither has the barbellate (not stellate) hairs of the Guayana species. The flowers suggest no close affinity with Myrmidone, Maieta, Microphysca, or Tococa; the barbellate hairs are approximated in the anomalous and heterogenous Tococa species-group of T. broadwayi Urb., T. grandifolia Standi., T. spadiciflora Tr., and T. platyphylla Benth., all of which show no inflorescence or floral resemblance to C. heptamera.