Cavendishia trujilloensis Luteyn

Description

Description: Shrub; twigs subterete, complanate, conspicuously and deeply striate, glabrous. Leaves ovate-elliptic, 9-16.5 x 3.5-8 cm, basally rounded, apically abruptly short-acuminate, glabrous; 5(-7)-plinerved with inner pair of lateral nerves arising 0.8-1.5 cm above base, midrib conspicuously raised and thickened through proximal 0.8-1.5 cm otherwise impressed above and raised beneath, lateral nerves impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets inconspicuously raised on both surfaces; petioles terete, rugose, weakly pilose adaxially. Inflorescence ca. 15-flowered; rachis subterete, complanate and bluntly angled, nodes slightly swollen, glabrous, at least 5.5 cm long and 2.5 mm diam. (still in bud at tip); floral bracts deciduous after anthesis, flat or more or less concave, oblong or obovate, 18-20 x ca. 16 mm, apically rounded; pedicels subcylindric, only slightly ribbed, glabrous, ca. 6 mm long and 1.5-3 mm diam.; bracteoles basal ovate-oblong, 1.5 mm long, entire margin glandular-callose. Flowers: calyx glabrous, ca. 8 mm long; hypanthium cylindric, smooth, 2.5-3 mm long, basally truncate; limb cylindric, ca. 5 mm long; lobes imbricate, oblong to ovate-oblong, 3.5-4 mm long, suberect, and curling around base of style after anthesis, marginally glandular-callose over entire length; sinuses none; corolla immature, glabrous; style ca. 11.5-12 mm long. Berry not seen.

Distribution: Endemic to W Venezuela and known only from the type collection.

Conservation Status: Rare and endangered.

Type: Venezuela. Trujillo: Dtto. Betijoque, Mpio. Betijoque, Boquerón-La Gira rd., along Quebrada La Gira, 1000 m, 23 May 1977 (fl), Pérez Levis 70 (holotype: MY, photo NY neg. 10865; isotype: F).