Myrcia paivae O.Berg

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Myrtaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Myrcia paivae O.Berg

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - VENEZUELA. Bolivar: Auyan-tepui, middle slopes aboveGuayaraca, elev 1000-1480 m, 18 M a y 1964 (bud), Steyermark 94145 (MICH);Kavanayen, selva de Oparuma, 30 M a y 1946 (fl), Lasser 1882 (NY). BRITISHGUIANA. Upper Mazaruni River basin, N E side of ^It. Ayanganna, mixed evergreenforest, elev 800-900 m, 1 Aug 1960 (bud), Tillett et al 44958 (MICH);Kamarang River, near mouth of Utschi River, elev 550 m, 20 Oct 1960 (fr), Tillett& Tillett 45714 (MICH).

  • Discussion

    A species of uncertain origin, and doubtful vahdity, as noted in the Flora of Peru (Field Mus. Publ. Bot. 13(4): 654, 655. 1958). The type was Spruce 1512, from "Barra do Rio Negro," and occasional specimens almost precisely like the type may be found on the upper Orinoco. VENEZUELA. Amazonas: Isla de El Raton, elev 100 m, 31 M a y 1940 (imm fr), Williams 13175 (F); Cerro Yapacana, elev ca 100 m, Apr 1931 (bud). Holt & Blake 702 (F, N Y ) .

    A few other specimens from the same general region are referred with some doubt to M . paivae because of the sparingly impressed-punctate leaves, although the general appearance of one specimen {Schultes & Cabrera) is that of Mvrcia splendens, and of another (Little) that of M . fallax. COLOMBIA. Amazonas-Vaupes: Rio Apaporis, entre el Rio Pacoa y el Rio Kananari, Soratama, elev 250 m, 11 Jul 1951 (fl), Schultes & Cabrera 13037 (MICH). Meta: Puerto Lopez, elev 240 m, 27 Jul 1944 (imm fr), Little 8266 (MICH); N escarpment. Sierra de la Macarena' elev 800 m 30 Jan 1950 (bud), Philipson 2302 ( B M ).

    Plants from the interior of British Guiana, and from the highlands of southeastern Venezuela, seem to constitute a rather different montane or submontane population, but I cannot separate them convincingly from the lowland populations farther west In the following the leaves are a little larger and more veiny than those of typical M. paivae, 10-15 cm long, 3-5 cm wide; the panicles even in fruit are rarely more than 3-5 cm long; the hypanthium is somewhat cupuliform in flower and in fruit. and the calyx-lobes tend to be narrow, sometimes broadly triangular but in some specimens very narrowly triangular or almost subulate, not at all imbricate, and in fruit incurved and separated by broad roundish sinuses. In the collections made by the Tilletts in British Guiana this feature of the calyx is so distinctive that the association with M . paivae seems a far-fetched one, but in Steyermark's collection the calyx-lobes are almost as wide as those of typical M . paivae, and in Lasser's collection they are even wider.

  • Distribution

    V E N E Z U E L A . Bolivar: Auyan-tepui, middle slopes aboveGuayaraca, elev 1000-1480 m, 18 M a y 1964 (bud), Steyermark 94145 (MICH);Kavanayen, selva de Oparuma, 30 M a y 1946 (fl), Lasser 1882 (NY). BRITISHGUIANA. Upper Mazaruni River basin, N E side of ^It. Ayanganna, mixed evergreenforest, elev 800-900 m, 1 Aug 1960 (bud), Tillett et al 44958 (MICH);Kamarang River, near mouth of Utschi River, elev 550 m, 20 Oct 1960 (fr), Tillett& Tillett 45714 (MICH).

    Venezuela South America| Guyana South America|