Drosera arenicola var. occidentalis Maguire & Wurdack

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1957. The Botany of the Guiana Highland -- Part II. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 9 (3): 235-392.

  • Family

    Droseraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Drosera arenicola var. occidentalis Maguire & Wurdack

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Folia rosulata, conferta, 10-12 mm longa, subtus moderate fusco-strigosa; stipulis fusco-membrano-scariosis ca. 3 mm longis, in segmentis setaceis, ca. 2 mm longis divisis; petiolis 0.7-0.9 mm lads, 6-8 mm. longis; laminis anguste oblongo-oblanceolatis, 3-4 mm longis, ca. 1.5 (2.0) mm latis; scapis 1-3, 2-8 cm longis, moderate piloso-stipitato-glandulosis, (3) 4-10-floribus; sepalis subobtusis, inconspicue eroso-denticulatis vel integris; stylis ca. 3 mm longis, a basim bipartitis; apicibus integris, dilato-flabellatis; seminibus subglobosis, nigris, plus minusve apiculatis, foveolatis in lineis verticalibus.

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Known presently from the cumbres of Cerro Guanay in the north Ventuari drainage, and Paru in the south Ventuari drainage, Venezuelan Amazonas.

  • Discussion

    TYPE: flowers white, about margins of pool, infrequent, cumbre, Cerro Guanay, Rio Manapiare, Rio Ventuari, Terr. Amazonas, Venezuela, at 1800 m alt., February 2, 1951, Maguire, Pbelps, Hitchcock & Budowski 31715 (Holotype, NY). Paratypes, Terr. Amazonas, Venezuela: flowers pink, Cerro Guanay, at 1800 m alt., Maguire, Phelps, Hitchcock & Budowski 31716; Cerro Parii, Rio Ventuari, 1949, Phelps & Hitchcock 526-A; flowers white, frequent, moist ledge, cumbre, Cerro Paru, at 2000 m alt., Cowan & Wurdack 31142; frequent, moist sand pockets, sabanita, west rim, Cerro Paru, at 2000 m alt., Cowan & Wurdack 31205.

    By virtue of its similar habit, identical leaves and seed, the var. occidentalis is to be associated with the eastern Gran Sabana D. arenicola Steyermark. The western variant differs chiefly in its consistently longer scapes, more numerous flowers, and less acute and erose-subdenticulate sepals.