Syngonanthus rivularis Moldenke
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett, et al. 1957. Botany of the Chimanta Massif - I Gran Sabana, Venezuela. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 9 (3): 393-484.
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Family
Eriocaulaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Herba parva annua; caulibus valde abbreviates ad apicem densissime albidotomentosis; foliis caespitosis leviter membranaceis linearibus parce minuteque pilosulis obtusis; pedunculis solitariis filiformibus stramineis 2-costatis adpresso-pilosulis; vaginis gracilibus arete adpressis stramineis multistriatis minute parceque pilosulis, laminis obtusis; capitulis hemisphaericis griseo-albis; bracteolis involucri herbaceis brunneis oblongis obtusis glabris; receptaculo longe piloso.
Species Description - Small annual herb; stems greatly abbreviated, very densely whitish-tomentose at the apex; roots elongate, white, spongy; leaves cespitose, thin-membranous, linear, pale green, erect, 2-4 cm long, rather uniformly 0.5 mm wide, sparsely and minutely pilosulous, blunt at the apex; peduncles solitary, filiform, stramineous, 19-21 cm long, 2-costate, antrorsely appressed-pilosulous, especially in the sulcations; sheath slender, closely appressed, 3-4.5 cm long, stramineous, manystriate, minutely scattered-pilosulous, the blade erect, appressed, about 3 mm long, obtuse at the apex; heads hemispheric', about 9 mm wide, grayish-white; involucral bractlets herbaceous, brownish, oblong, about 2 mm long and 1 mm wide, obtuse at the apex, glabrous; receptacle long-pilose; flowers long-pedicellate; receptacular bractlets subhyaline, oblong-oblanceolate, about 3 mm long and 0.7 mm wide, subacute at the apex, long-pilose at the base, otherwise glabrous; staminate florets: sepals 3, separate, hyaline, oblong-oblanceolate, more or less falcate, about 2 mm long and 0.7 mm wide, subacute at the apex, glabrous; petals 3, hyaline, connate at the base, separate at the apex, about 1.2 mm long, glabrous; stamens 3, short-exserted; anthers white, about 0.2 mm long; pistillate florets: sepals 3, separate, hyaline, navicular, concave, lanceolate, about 2.2 mm long and 0.6 mm wide, acute at the apex, glabrous; petals 3, hyaline, free at the base and apex, oblanceolate, about 1.7 mm long and 0.5 mm wide, glabrous; style abbreviated, about 0.2 mm long, glabrous, its 3 appendages slender, erect, about 1.2 mm long, borne at the same level as and alternate with the stigmas; stigmas 3, about 1 mm long; ovary globose, glabrous, stramineous, 3-sulcate, 3-celled.
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Discussion
TYPE: Julian A. Steyermark & John J. Wurdack 792, swampy depressions along the river in wet savannas along the east branch of the headwaters of the Rio Tirica, alt. of 2120 m, in the central section of Chimanta Massif, Bolivar, Venezuela, February 12, 1955 (NY). The collectors state that the species was locally frequent, forming large masses.