Calycorectes enormis McVaugh

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Myrtaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Calycorectes enormis McVaugh

  • Description

    Species Description - Arbor 10-15-metralis, grandifolia, ramulis floribusque et fructibus atro-castaneis, dense pilis erectis confertis 0.5-0.8 mm longis velutinis, foliis subtus pihs similibus ferrugineis, hirsutulis; folia elhptico-oblonga, 20-40 cm longa, (6-)10-12 cm lata, 2.5-3(-3.5)-plo longiora quam latiora, acuta vel breviacuminata, basi acuta vel rotundata, marginibus crassis vix decurrentibus; nervus medius supra planiusculus, nonnunquam convexus vel biconvexus; petioli percrassi, 3-5 mm diametro, 8-15 mm longi, apice triangulari ut videtur prolongata et in nervi medii partem basalem incrassatum transienti; venae laterales utroque latere circa 15, rectae, adscendentes, in nervum marginalem margine ipso incrassatum transientes, venis intermediis vix ullis, venulis reticulatis inconspicuis; folia supra nitida, obscure impresso-punctata; racemi vix evoluti, saepe fasciculati, 2-4-flori, floribus sessilibus glomeratis; bracteis ovatis, deciduis, intus glabris, 3-4 mm longis; bracteolis similibus, minoribus, deciduis; alabastra 10-12 mm longa pyriformia, apice 4-loba; hypanthium 4-5 mm longum, longiuscule campanulatum, abrupte in calycis globum 7-8 mm diametro expansum, supra germen 4-5 mm productum; calycis lobi 4 inaequales, intus glabri, in alabastro corollam tegentes; exteriores majores, patelliformes, 6-7 mm longi, 7-8 mm lati; interiores paullo minores, marginibus tenuibus petaloideis 1.5 mm latis instructi; lobi per anthesin usque ad germen inter se rumpentes, e hypanthii margine demum decidui; discus 5 mm latus, centro glaber, annuh staminalis 2-3 mm lati margine interiori rufo-hirsutulo; stylus 12 mm longus vel ultra; stamina 350 vel ultra, ad 15 mm longa, antheris circa 1 mm longis; petala 4, circa 6 mm longa lataque vel expansa 9 mm longa, apicibus exceptis glabra; fructus elhpsoidalis vel ovoideus, 3-3.5 cm longus, 2-2.5 cm diametro, 1-spermus; embryo indivisus; ovarium biloculare, ovulis quoque loculo 20 vel ultra, supra loculi medium affixis.

  • Discussion

    Vegetatively this plant is unique or nearly so because of the strongly veined leaves with the marginal vein at the very edge of the leaf. The dark chestnut-brown velutinous covering of the flowers, fruits and branchlets is also distinctive. The species is referred to Calycorectes on the basis of the flower-structure; although the buds are not closed, the hypanthium is prolonged much beyond the ovary and splits into irregular lobes at flowering time.

    In Bernardi's specimen the leaves are 6-7 cm wide and 3-3.5 times as long as this, whereas in all the other collections the leaves are 10-12 cm wide and relatively shorter

    Distribution and Ecology: VENEZLELA. Delta Amacuro: Bosque pluvial, este de Rio Grande, este-noreste de El Palmar, cerca de los limites del Edo. Bolivar, 16 M a y 1964 (fl), Marcano Berti 147 (MICH, type; P ) . Bolivar: Sierra de Imataca, El Palmar, rumbo norte hacia Rio Grande, elev 300 m, 17 Feb 1959 (fl, fr), Bernardi 7095 ( N Y ) ; 5-7 k m E of El Crucero, E S E of Villa Lola, elev 300 m, 16 Jul 1960 (fr), Steyermark 86412 ( M I C H ) ; 29 k m N of El Dorado, between Tumeremo and El Dorado, elev 210 m, 23 Jul 1960 (fl, fr), Steyermark 86564 ( M I C H ) ; Altiplanicie de Nuria, cloud forest on summit E of Cerro El Picacho, 45 k m N of Tumeremo, elev 600-650 m, 5-8 Feb 1961 (fr), Steyermark 89062 ( M I C H ).

  • Distribution

    Venezuela South America|