Myrcia porphyrea McVaugh
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett. 1969. The botany of the Guayana Highland-part VIII. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 18: 1-290.
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Family
Myrtaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Frutex 2-metralis, appresse pubescens, pilis albidis vel pallide rufulis; folia ramulique mox glabrati; paniculae pubescentes; hypanthium dense albido-strigosum; calycis lobi atrantes (rubescentes?), extus fere glabri; folia rigida, elliptici-obovata, 3.5-7 cm longa, 2-4 cm lata, 1.9-2.3-plo longiora quam latiora, apice obtusa vel rotundata, basi acuta, marginibus cuneatim decurrentibus in petiolum crassum planiusculum 5-6 mm longum; nervus medius supra latus convexusque, plerumque inter porcas 2 convexas canaliculatus; venae laterales ascendentes 5-8, et venulae utrinque reticulum elevatum conspicuum formantes; nervus marginalis a margine 1-2.5 mm remotus; folia supra in siccitate viridia, pallida, subtus porphyrea, glandulis pallidis obsita; inflorescentiae 5-10 cm longae, tripliciter ramosae, multiflorae, floribus secus ramulos aggregatis vel solitariis sessilibus; pedunculus 1.5-2.5 cm longus, apice compressus, usque ad 3 mm latus; bracteae 1-2 mm longae persistentes; alabastra pyriformia, 2-2.5 mm longa, calycis lobis dorso convexis; hypanthium intus glabrum, supra germen 1 mm productum; discus 2-2.2 mm latus; calycis lobi 5(-4), valde inaequales, intus glabri, vix imbricati, basi non angustati, depressi, 0.5-1 mm longi (vel 1-2 majores, petaloidei), basi 1-2 mm lati, per anthesin patentes, non reflexi nee inter se fissi; stylus 5 mm longus; stamina 50-60; petala late rotundata, 2 mm longa lataque; fructus (immaturus) subglobosus, rubescens, diametro 5-7 mm; ovarium biloculare, loculis biovulatis.
Description - A shrub 2 m high; panicles permanently but rather sparsely pubescent, but the hypanthium densely white pubescent with soft hairs; leaves "stiff, leathery, brittle," rigid when dry, the reticulum formed by the veins and small veinlets conspicuous on both sides; marginal vein weaker than the lateral ones and arched between them; panicles rather narrow and closely flowered, with persistent divaricate bracts; buds conspicuously bicolored, the white-pubescent base contrasting with the dark calyxlobes surpassed by the globe of the petals:
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Discussion
In its thinly pubescent, divaricately branched panicles with short peduncles and persistent bracts, this species suggests some of the species of sect Armeriela, e.g., Myrcia inaequiloba or M . lucida. The calyx in M . porphyrea, however, seems to place it in sect .Aulomyrcia, and the short, rigid, obtuse and strongly reticulate leaves with broad convex midveins are unique as far as I know.
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Distribution
BRITISH GUIANA. Pakaraima Mountains, Imbaimadai savannas, upper Mazaruni River, elev 550 m, 21 Oct 1951 (fl, i m m fr), Maguire & Fanshawe 32159 (MICH, type).
Guyana South America|