Abolboda neblinae Maguire

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett. 1967. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part VII. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 17: 1-439.

  • Family

    Xyridaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Abolboda neblinae Maguire

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Herbae perennes rhizomatibus brevibus et foliis numerosis dense rosulatis; foliis gramineis, 2-3 mm latis, 3-7 cm longis, acute acutis, brevimucronatis, 3-5-nervis, basibus expansis sed non-amplectentibus; scapo solitario vel aliquantum 2, 1.5-3.0 dm alto, 1.5-2.0 mm diam, cum 2-3-jugatis plusminusve aequaliter distantibus bracteis, appositis vaginatis sterilibus, lanceolatis ca 16-20 mm longis, anguste scariomarginatis, breviaristatis; spiculis ca 15 mm longis, terminalibus, solitariis, unifloribus, bracteis sterilibus 2, lanceolatis, 14-16 mm longis, sepalis 3, lanceolatis, 12-14 mm longis, nec carinatis nec conduplicatis, lateralibus appositis, tertio subanteriore, omnibus subter medio membranis scariomarginatis; corollis caeruleis ephemeris; staminibus 6; granis pollinis sphaeroideis, non-aper-turatis, spinosis, 110-130 µ diam; ovariis fusiformibus, multiovulatis, valvis cum appendicibus integris lanceolatis, 1 mm longis; stylis clavatis, sine appendicibus, apicibus trigonis erosis; capsulis anguste ellipticis vel fusiformibus, ca 8 mm longis, 3.25 mm latis, terminale appendiculatis, appendicibus lanceolatis 1.5 mm longis; seminibus numerosis, ca 0.7 mm longis, 0.9 mm latis, conspicue 16-18 vertice costatis, brunneo-rubris.

  • Discussion

    Type. Perennial herb with a short caudex and dense rosette of short gramineous leaves; scapes solitary or occasionally 2, spikelets solitary, uniflorous, flowers blue, ephemeral, common in boggy area in open places, Bonnetia woodland, at 2400 m alt, Venezuelan side of Brazilian Divide, 2 km east Boundary Marker No. 4, Cerro de la Neblina, November 1, 1965, Bassett Maguire, Joao Murca Pires & Nilo T. de Silva 60523 (holotype NY, isotype UB). Paratype. Cerro de la Neblina, 1 km west of Boundary Marker No. 4, at 2600 m alt, Nov 3, 1965, Maguire, Pires & Silva 60539.

    Abolboda neblinae is related to A. uniflora and A. paniculata, and similarly is provided with three sepals. The following serves to distinguish the three species and may be accommodated to my original generic key (Mem. N. Y. Bot. Gard. 10(1): 6. 1958).

    1. Scapes paniculate; spikelets 2-4-flowered, 22-24 mm long; style provided with obvious downwardly projecting appendages, pollen grains 140-150 µ diam, capsular appendages bidentate; leaves densely rosulate, gramineous; known only from Cerro Paru, Amazonas, Venezuela. A. paniculata.

    1. Scapes simple; spikelets 1-flowered; leaves densely rosulate.

    2. Spikelets terminal, cylindric, 14-15 mm long, in addition with axillary spikelets from the penultimate or antipenultimate vaginal bracts; (corollas lacking); leaves linear, triquetrous; known only from Cerro Duida, Amazonas, Venezuela. A. uniflora.

    2. Spikelets terminal only, fusiform ca 15 mm long; stylar appendages lacking; pollen grains 110-130 µ diam, capsular appendages entire; leaves gramineous; known only from Cerro de la Neblina, Amazonas, Venezuela (and probably adjacent Brazil). a. neblinae.