Ixora schomburgkiana Benth.

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett. 1967. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part VII. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 17: 1-439.

  • Family

    Rubiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Ixora schomburgkiana Benth.

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - British Guiana. BRITISH GUIANA. Photo of type of I. schomburgkiana, Schomburgk 467 from K at NY; dense upland forest, Butukari, 20-21 Jul 1921, Gleason 710 (type of I. gleasonii); Butukari, Gleason 734; near Makreba Falls, Kurupung River, Upper Mazaruni District, Pinkus 6; Kuraraballi, Deme-rara River, Jenman 249; Demerara River, Jenman 3911; Essequibo River, Mora-balli Creek, near Bartica, near sea level, Sandwith 257; Imbaimadai Savannas, upper Mazaruni River, Pakaraima Mts., alt 1300 m, Maguire & Fanshawe 32258; valley of the Mahdia River (tributary, Potaro River), summit of east-facing escarpment of Mt. Ebini, Pakaraima Mountains, Maguire 32118; Kukui River at Adaro mouth, S. S. A C. L. Tillett & Boyan 45279; camp no. 3, Kako River, fluvial forest along Kako River, S. S. & C. L. Tillett & Boyan 45516; Wallaba forest, Moraballi Creek, Essequibo River, alt 60 m, Forest Dept Field No. Fanshawe 145.

  • Discussion

    Ixora gleasonii Standley, Field Mus. Publ. Bot. 4: 344. 1929.

    Siderodendron macrophyllum Benth. Jour. Bot. Hook. 3: 234. 1841, non Ixora macrophylla R. Br. in Wall., 1828, nec I. macrophylla Bartl. ex DC., 1830.

    Type. Sandy soil, British Guiana, Schomburkg 467.

    Because the binomial Ixora macrophylla was already pre-occupied, Bentham renamed his Siderodendron macrophyllum as Ixora schomburgkiana. Gleason 710, the type of I. gleasonii Standley is a good match for Bentham’s species. Standley attempted to separate his species from I. schomburgkiana by the larger corolla-tube. The length of the corolla-tube varies from 15-30 mm among the specimens at hand for study, and Gleason’s type falls within the measurement of variation. Standley wrongly attributed the authorship to Bentham in his discussion of I. gleasonii as follows: “Ixora macrophylla Benth. and I. laxiflora Benth.” (Field Mus. Publ. Bot. 4: 345), whereas actually Bentham used these specific epithets under Siderodendron (S. macrophyllum and S. laxiflorum). This species and I. ulei are closely related, but may be separated by the differences given in the key to species.

  • Distribution

    British Guiana.

    Guyana South America|