Myrcia revolutifolia 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 vel arbor mediocris usque ad 4 m altus, ramulis et inflorescentiis (floribus exceptis), sparse pallideque pubescentibus, pilis ascendentibus vel erectis et minute setaceis, 0.1-0.3 mm longis; folia (petiolis exceptis) mox omnino glabra, rigide coriacea, lucida, obovata, apice rotundata vel emarginata, 2-4.5 cm longa, 1-2.5 cm lata, 1.5-2-plo longiora quam latiora, basi acuta vel cuneata, marginibus valde revolutis; petiola crassa, 3-4 mm longa, 1-1.5 mm lata; nervus medius utrinque convexus, subtus prominentior; venae laterales circa 10-12; inflorescentiae 3-6 cm longae, axillares, saepe ex paniculis geminatis constantes, paniculis irregulariter pauci-20- floris, pedunculis 1-3 cm longis, floribus subsessilibus; bracteae mox deciduae; alabastra 2-3 mm longa pyriformia; calycis lobi 5, breves, apice rotundati, 1-1.3 mm lati, intus pubescentes, sub anthesis subreflexi-patentes, inter se non fissi; hypanthium 0.5-0.8 mm prolongatum, intus glabrum; discus 2 mm latus, glaber; stylus circa 4 mm longus; stamina circa 60; fructus subglobosus 5-6 mm diametro; ovarium biloculare, loculis biovulatis.
Description - A shrub or small tree up to 4 m high, the branchlets and inflorescence (except the flowers), sparingly pale-pubescent with ascending or erect and minutely bristly sharp hairs 0.1-0.3 mm long; leaves (except the petioles) soon completely glabrous, rigidly coriaceous, obovate, rounded or emarginate at apex, 2-4.5 cm long, 1-2.5 cm wide, 1.5-2 times as long as wide, acute or cuneate at base, the strongly revolute margins rather abruptly decurrent on the angles of the adaxially channeled petiole; petiole 3-4 mm long, 1-1.5 mm thick, often notably enlarged on the abaxial side below the base of the blade, wrinkled in drying; midvein convex on both surfaces, more prominent beneath; lateral veins indefinite in number (about 10-12 including some branching intermediate ones), straight and parallel; marginal vein about as strong as the laterals, nearly parallel to and distant about 1 mm or less from the edge formed by the revolute margin; leaves lustrous above, paler beneath, with many pale glands more or less visible on both surfaces; inflorescence 3-6 cm long, axillary, often aborting above the lowest node, thus consisting of paired panicles separated by a terminal bud; panicles irregularly once- or twice-compound, bearing few-20 flowers mostly clustered near the tips of the branchlets; peduncles 1-3 cm long; bracts linear, ciliate, 1-2 mm long, deciduous before anthesis; buds pyriform, glabrous without, short-stipitate, 2-3 mm long; hypanthium 1-1.5 mm long, glabrous within, prolonged 0.5-0.8 mm beyond the ovary; disk 2 mm wide, glabrous; calyx-lobes 5, low and broadly rounded, 0.8 mm long, 1-1.3 mm wide, thinly pubescent inside, probably spreading in the open flower, spreading-persistent on the fruit and there not or barely separated; style about 4 mm long; stamens about 60; petals broadly rounded, about 3 mm long; fruit subglobose or oblate, 5-6 mm in diam, "dark red"; ovary bilocular, with two ascending ovules in each locule.
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Discussion
As may be seen by comparing the descriptions, this plant is very like Myrcia planifolia, which is known only from Cerro Sipapo. The two differ in a number of minor characters in addition to those noted in the key, and evidently represent different taxa, which at the present stage of our knowledge are best called different species.
Distribution and Ecology: Known only from the type locality, at elevations from 1250-1500 m, and from Cerro Duida, at 2000-2300 m. V E N E Z U E L A . Amazonas: Serrania Yutaje, Rio Manapiare: Cerro Coro-Coro, 2 Mar 1953 (fl), Maguire 35462 (MICH, type); Cerro Yutaje, Cafio Yutaje, 12 Feb 1953 (bud), Maguire 35199 ( M I C H ) ; near Camp Yutaje, 8 Feb 1953 (imm bud), Maguire 35083 ( M I C H ) ; Cerro Duida, Rio Cunucunuma, Cafio Negro basin, 23 Nov 1950 (fr), Maguire et al 29709 ( M I C H ).