Barbacenia celiae Maguire

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett. 1969. The botany of the Guayana Highland-part VIII. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 18: 1-290.

  • Family

    Velloziaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Barbacenia celiae Maguire

  • Description

    Species Description - Caudex 10-15 cm longo, folia numerosa marcescentes; vaginis 15-18 mm longis, glabris; laminis hnearibus, attenuatis, acuminatis, 10-15 cm longis, 8-10 mm latis, glabris, parte supra carinae marginibusque spinulosi-serratis; scapis vulgo 1-3, 10-20 cm longis, gracilibus, sulcatis, stipitatis, glandulosis; ovario ellipsoideo-cylindrico, 15-18 mm longo, costato, stipitati-glanduloso; hypanthio destituto vel brevissimo; tepalis obtusis, azureis vel purpureis pallidis, in anthesis erectis, exterioribus lanceolatis 3 cm longis ca 6 mm latis, stipitati-glandulosis imprimis cum venis, interioribus ca 3 cm longis ca 12 mm latis, admodum glandulosis, vel glandibus vena media limitatis; staminibus 6, antheris antrorsis, linearibus, bicellularibus, 1.8-2.0 mm longis, apice appendice brevi obtuso producto, basi sagittata; filamentis 1.0-1.2 mm longis, anteriore conspicui squama valde connatis, squama plana, oblanceolata, profunde emarginata, conspicue antheris excedente; pollinis simphcibus, 1-sulcatis, non-poratis, ellipsoidalibus, 15-16 µ longis in aspectu distali polari, sporodermis reticulatis vel alveolatis, aliquando vermiformibus, emarginaliter ovalibus in aspectu polari propter sulcum profundum singulum; ovario anguste oblongo-conico, 13-15 mm longo, conspicue vulgoque stipitati-glanduloso inter nervos; fructibus seminibusque ignotis.

  • Discussion

    Type. Perennial herb, leaves 3-ranked, stems 1-3 d m long, peduncles and ovary purple, densely glandular, perianth clear purple, staminal corona of 6 retuse oblong purple scales, anthers 6, yellow; common on conglomerate outcrop, N . W . Escarpment of Serra Tepequem (one specimen flowering), alt 2600-2900 ft, Territorio do Rio Branco [Roraima], Brazil, 23 Nov 1954, Bassett Maguire & Celia K. Maguire 40025 (holotype N Y ; isotype U S ) .

    Barbacenia celiae m a y be distinguished from B. purpurea by its lack of hypanthium and free obtuse tepals, which in the latter are strongly acuminate, and are borne on a prominent (2-3 m m ) hypanthial tube.

  • Distribution

    BRAZIL. Territorio da Roraima (Rio Branco): Perennial terrestrial. flowers purple, frequent along chffs, unburnt portion of rim, alt 950 m, Serra Tepequem, 4 Dec 1954, Maguire & Maguire 40154; locally frequent on Serra Sabang, wholly of igneous rock, alt 5500 ft, 16-18 Dec 1954, Maguire & Maguire 40298.

    Brazil South America|