Abolboda minima Maguire

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1964. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part V. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-278.

  • Family

    Xyridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Abolboda minima Maguire

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Herbae tenuiter perennes, acaulescentes; foliis numerosis, rosulatis subteretibus laevibus, 2-12 mm longi, 0.4—0.5 mm diam., minutissimis serrulatis (ad 20 mag.), abrupte truncatis, unilateraliter mucronatis, basi expansa scariosa amplectanti; scapis nullis; spica uniflora; bracteis panels lanciacuminatis, scariosis, planis, ca. 5 mm longis, 1-nervis; sepalis 2, conduplicatis, lanceolatis, pungenter acuminatis, scariosis, dorsaliter firmis, 7-9 mm longis; corollis albidis essentialiter regularibus 12-13 mm longis, tubo hypocrateriformi ca. 8.5 mm longo, lobis orbiculari-obovatis, retusis, 4-5 mm longis; staminodiis evidenter nullis; staminibus 3, filamentis planis, 1-nervatis, ad tubum adnatis, supra 0.6-0.8 mm liberis; antheris oblongo-sagittatis, 1.0-1.2 mm longis, granis pollinis sphaeroideis, non aperturatis, spinosis, 110-120 µ diam., sporodermate ca. 10 µ crassa; stylo ca. 8 mm longo, appendicibus 2; stigmate hypocrateriformi fimbriato; ovario ovali; seminibus non visis.

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Known only from the type region.

  • Discussion

    A. killipii Lasser affinis sed spicis unifloris et foliis laevibus.

    Type. Flowers very pale blue, fading white, locally abundant in Sabana Manacal, 15 km above Guarinumo, alt. 125-140 m, Rio Atabapo, 12 Jul 1959, Amazonas, Venezuela, J. J. Wurdack & L. 8. Adderley 42977 (holotype NY). Paratype. Flowers pale blue, locally occasional in Sabana El Venado on left bank of Cano Pimichin above Pimichin, alt. 140 m, Rio Guainia, 2 Jul 1959, Amazonas, Venezuela, J. J. Wurdack & L. S. Adderley 43296.

    Abolboda minima is clearly allied to A. killipii and A. acaulis, both of which have well-developed spicules, each with several flowers subtended by relatively broad, falcate, firm sepals. In leaf-form our new plant is most like A. killipii, but it lacks the foliar ornamentation of that species.