Kielmeyera
-
Authority
Maguire, Bassett. 1972. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part IX. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 23: 1-832.
-
Family
Clusiaceae
-
Scientific Name
-
Discussion
Kielmeyera is an ancient genus endemic to the Planalto of Brazil and in a limited sense to immediately contiguous regions. It stands as the planaltian historic correlative of the Guayanan Bonnetia. The number of described taxa exceeds 30.
In much the manner of Caraipa opinion is divided as to the affinities of this handsome and often habitally spectacular shrub or tree. Kielmeyera’s assignment to the Clusiaceae by others has perhaps been based chiefly on the presence of latex, but morphologically it is compellingly placed in the Bonnetiaceae. It should be borne in mind that Neotatea which is basic in the Bonnetiaceae also produces copious latex, thus otherwise demonstrating the family not to be exclusive in this function. Kielmeyera offers a challenging subject for careful monography.