Faramea sessilifolia (Kunth) DC.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Rubiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Faramea sessilifolia (Kunth) DC.

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - British Guiana, Venezuela, Brazil, and Colombia, following the drainage of the Upper Orinoco, Rio Negro, and Madeira rivers and tributaries. BRITISH GUIANA. Currassawaka, Schomburgk 693 (type of F. longifolia); Schomburgk 310 (photo of unpublished nomen "Faramea amplexicaulis Bartling" from B at F); basin of Essequibo River, near mouth of Onoro Creek, lat about 1°35'N, A. C. Smith 2759; Takutu Creek to Puruni River, Mazaruni River, Forest Dept. Field No. Fanshawe 2172; Kurupung, Lang 313. VENEZUELA. Amazonas: Alrededor de Puerto Ayacucho, alt 88 m, Williams 13109; en la mar-gen de la selva en tierra firme, la bifurcacion superior del Casiquiare, Alto Orinoco, alt 121 m, Williams 15182; en las vegas del canal, en montana abierta, Capibara, Canal del Casiquiare, alt 100 m, Holt & Gehriger 285; en la margen arboreada, periodicamente anegada, San Carlos de Rio Negro, alt 100 m, Williams 14469; en la margen del Bajo Casiquiare, alt 100 m, Williams 14731; near Solano, Rio Casiquiare, Wurdaek & Adderley 43371; Rio Yatua, margins just above Piedra Arauicaua, alt 110 m, Maguire, Wurdaek, Keith & C. K. Maguire 41633; bois humides, Puerto Zamuro, Gaillard 22; Rio Orinoco between San Fernando de Atabapo and Tama-Tama, alt 150 m, Level 23. COLOMBIA. El Vichada: open forest along Rio Yichada, near San Jose de Ocune, alt ca 100 m, 4 May 1939, Oscar Haught 2809 (type of Faramea planitiarium) ; Amazonas: Rio Negro, Sao Felipe and vicinity, Schultes & Lopex 9782; Amazonas-Vaupes: Rio Apa-poris, Soratama (above mouth of Rio Kananari) and vicinity, lat 0°5'N, long 70°40'W, alt ca 270 m, Schultes & Cabrera 15153. BRAZIL. Amazonas: Ega, Amazon, Poeppig 2787; Rio Negro, Vila Icana, Pires 441; Rio Canuma, varzea land, Cooper 43; Prov. Rio Negro, in vicinibus Barra, Spruce s.n.; upper Amazon, Rio Sapo, Traill 408; prope San Gabriel da Caehoeira, ad Rio Negro, Spruce 2035; on immediate shore of river, Rio Livramento, near Livramento, Municipality Humayta, Krukoff 6746; sylvis ad Coari, Prov. Rio Negro, Martins s.n. (photo of type of Faramea coarinensis from M at F), Cucuhy, Rio Negro, alt ca 120 m, Holt & Gehriger 375; Mato Grosso: near swamp, in varzea land, near Tabajaza, upper Machado River region, Krukojj 1416.

  • Discussion

    Tetramerium sessilifolium H.B.K., Nov. Gen. Sp. 3: 374. 1819.

    Ixora sessilifolia Spreng., Syst. 1: 409. 1S25.

    Faramea longijolia Benth., Jour. Bot. Hook. 3: 234. 1841.

    Faramea planitiarium Standi., Field Mus. Publ. Bot. 22: 1S7. 1940.

    Faramea coarinensis Mull-Arg., Mart. FI. Bras. 6(5): 133. 1SS1.

    Faramea longifolia ß petiolaris Mull.-Arg., Mart. Fl. Bras. 6(5): 133. 1881.

    Type. “Sylvis Orinoeensium, inter Maypure et San Fernando de Atabapo,” [Amazonas], Venezuela, Humboldt &, Bonpland.

    The description of Tetramerium sessilifolium H.B.K. matches specimens of Faramea longijolia Benth, and leaves no doubt that they are conspecific. Hum­boldt, Bonpland, and Kunth placed their species with some doubt in Tetramerium, since it was uncertain as to whether or not the stamens were exserted. A fragment (from the Paris herbarium at F) of a specimen identified as F sessilifolia is characteristic F. longifolia. Many of the Venezuelan specimens cited (Williams 13109, Gaillard 22, Level 23) were collected near the type locality of T. sessili-folium, and likewise match the original description. Muller-Argoviensis attempted to separate from typical Faramea longifolia with distinctly cordate, subsessile leaf-base with petioles 1-2 mm long a variation, ß petiolaris, in which the leaf-base was described as more narrowed, obsoletely cordate, and with petioles “2-3-plo longioribus.” The variation often appears on herbarium sheets with the unpublished manuscript name of “Faramea purpurea Spruce ex Bth.” These variations intergrade imperceptibly into one another and cannot be distinguished. Bremekamp assigned the name Faramea longifolia to various specimens in Suriname, which are found to constitute a distinct species.

  • Distribution

    British Guiana, Venezuela, Brazil, and Colombia, following the drainage of the Upper Orinoco, Rio Negro, and Madeira rivers and tributaries.

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