Abolboda bella Maguire

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1958. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part III. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-156.

  • Family

    Xyridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Abolboda bella Maguire

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Herbae perennes rhizomatibus subligneis horizontalibus 2-5 cm longis, 4—5 mm diam.; foliis vulgo 8-12, basilaribus, linearibus, (3) 6-15 cm longis, 1.5—4.0 mm latis, marginibus integris subhyalinis, costatis, 3-5-nervatis, abrupte mucronulatis, basi expansa vaginata; scapis solitariis laevibus, 6-10 cm longis, ca. 1 mm diam., 1 jugo bractearum basilarium subtento, et sursum 1 jugo subappositarum amplectantium bractearum, ca. 2 cm longarum acuminatarum, spiea subtenta; spicis 1.5-2.0 cm longis, obpyriformibus 3-5-floris; bracteis cephalaribus sterilibus vulgo 2, lanciacuminatis, 15-18 mm, costa prominent! mucronulata, bracteis fertilibus lanciacuminatis, 12-15 mm longis; sepalis 2, acute carinatis enervatis induratis aliquantum reeurvatis. 16-20 mm longis, lanciaeuminatis marginibus late scariosis; corollis caeruleis, essentialiter regularibus, 2.2-2.5 cm longis. tubo 1.2-1.5 cm longo, lobis late obovatis; antheris sagittatis, ca. 2.5 mm longis; granis pollinis sparse spinosis obovato-sphaeroideis, 120-140 µ diam., sporoderrnide 10 µ crassa. spinis obtuse conicis, ca. 5 µ longis; ovario oblongo, ad apicem papilloso, trigonali 3-loeulari; stylo trigonali facie ipso sulcato, appendicibus 3-linearibus gibberoso-saccatis reflexis, quoque cum adunculo; stigmate crateriformi aliquantum gibberoso profunde fimbriato; capsula seminibusque ignotis.

  • Discussion

    Type: small herbaceous perennial. 15 cm or less high, flowers dark clear blue; infrequent in marshv area, Yapacana Savanna III, Territorio Amazonas, Venezuela, at 125 m alt., March 17. 1953, Maauire & Wurdack 34514 (holotype NY).

    Abolboda bella is obviously most closely related to .4. abbrcriata Malme, known only by the type collection Duc'e 11895 (see below).

    A. aibreviata

    Plant cespitose, 6-8 cm high, pluriseapose (1-5).

    Spikes 1 cm long.

    Cephalar bracts broadly lanceolate, 7-8 mm long.

    Sepals 9-10 mm long.

    A. bella

    Plant not cespitose, 10-15 cm high, uniscapose.

    Spikes 1.5-2.0 cm long.

    Cephalar bracts lance-attenuate, 15-18 mm long.

    Sepals 16-20 mm long.