Gongylolepis paniculata Maguire & K.D.Phelps
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett, et al. 1953. The Botany of the Guayana Highland. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 8 (2): 87-160.
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Family
Asteraceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Arbor parva vel frutex, glaber; ramis crassis internodiis 1 cm. vel minus longis; foliis 12-25(-27) cm. longis (2.5-)3.0-8.0 (9.0) cm. latis, anguste oblanceolatis vel elliptico-oblanceolatis chartaceis, nervis primariis 12-15 jugis lateralibus prominulis anastomosis non ad marginem extendentibus, venulis prominenter reticulatis, apicibus late obtusis vel minute retusis vel obtusiusculis aliquantum conduplicatis, petiolis 1.0-1.5 mm. longis late alatis; inflorescentiis corymboso-paniculatis, terminalibus (3) 5-15 capitulatis, axibus 20-60 cm. longis, ramis primariis 15-30 cm. longis 2-3-ramosis, ramis ultimis 2-4 cm. longis, bracteis foliatis ovatis vel oblongo-obovatis sessilibus vel subsessilibus (1.0) 3.0-6.0 (7.0) cm. longis (1) 2-3 cm. latis, bracteolis squamiformibus 2-3 mm. longis obtusis, capitula remote subtendentibus; capitulis (3) 5-15 floribus; involucris anguste campanulatis 3.0-3.5 cm. longis, bracteis concavis coriaceis punctatis valde gradatis marginibus scariosis exterioribus 5-8 mm. longis ovatis vel rotundatis, interioribus anguste elliptico-oblongis 25-30 mm. longis; receptaculo glabro piano vel aliquantum convexo; corollis profunde bilobatis ca. 3.0 mm. longis glabris, tubo ca. 12 mm. longo 5-costato, lobo posteriori ca. 18-20 mm. longo 3-4 mm. lato, minute tridentato; lobo anteriori profunde bifido, segmentis ca. 18 mm. longis ca. 0.75-1.25 mm. latis; filamentis ca. 8 mm. longis, in orificio tubi affixis, antheris 14-16 mm. longis, appendicum apicibus obtusiusculis, appendicibus caudatis truncatis ca. 5 mm. longis, 3-4 mm. adjacentibus connatis; pappo albido-sordido ca. 2.0 cm. longo, setis numerosis pluriseriatis fragilibus minute barbellatis, in corona 0.5 mm. alta connatis; achaeniis 12-15 mm. longis ca. 1.5 mm. diam. fusiformibus pallescentibus 10-costatis, costis angustis, annulo ca. 0.25 mm. alto.
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Discussion
TYPE: shrub or small tree to 6 m. high, flowers white-purplish, frequent in open upper montane woodland, Cano Verada, 1200 m. alt., Cerro Guanay, Amazonas, Venezuela, January 30, 1951, Bassett Maguire, Kathleen D. Phelps, C. B. Hitchcock & G. Budowski 31655; New York Botanical Garden. Paratypes: Amazonas, Venezuela: small tree 3 m. high, flowers white and lavender, Cerro Yavi, ak. 2000 m., March 1-3, 1947, Phelps & Hitchcock 79; small tree, occasional along stream above Culebra Falls, North Escarpment, Cerro Duida, 1400 m. alt., April 23, 1949, Maguire & Maguire 29072; tree to 6 m. high, frequent in montane savanna along stream, 800 m. alt., Cerro Moriche, Jan. 14, 1951, Maguire, Cowan & Wurdack 30914; dominant cumbre tree 2-5 m. high, frequent, summit Cerro Moriche, 1250 m. alt., Maguire, Cowan & Wurdack 30956; tree 3 m. high, leaves red-margined, fruit post-mature, summit Cerro Moriche, 1250 m. alt., Maguire, Cowan & Wurdack 30961; tree 5 m. high, 30862; tree to 10 m. high, codominant with Gleasonia duidana Standl., Cerro Camani, 1800 m. alt., Maguire, Phelps, Hitchcock & Budowski 31819.
So far as known, Gongylolepis paniculata is confined to sandstone mountains of Amazonas in southern Venezuela. It is evidently the most widespread species of the genus in the western part of the Guayana Highland. Although of relatively wide distribution, G. paniculata forms a fairly homogeneous population. As now recognized, there is one departure—a variant of the cumbre of Cerro Guanay in which the inflorescence is umbellate and the leaves smaller, more nearly elliptic and less prominently veined than in the var. paniculata.