Ixora potaroensis Steyerm.

• Authority

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

• Family

  Rubiaceae

• Scientific Name

  Ixora potaroensis Steyerm.

• Description

  Latin Diagnosis - Suffrutex vel arbor 1-3-metralis; foliis 4-verticillatis, sessilibus obovatis vel obanceolato-oblongis apice acutis vel abrupte acuminatis basi rotundatis 32-18 cm longis 10.5-13 cm latis utrinque glabris, nervis lateralibus utroque latere 15-21 subtus elevatis prominentibus supra impressis, costa media subtus elevata supra prominente, venulis tertiariis subtus conspicuis ad nervos laterales transverse junctis; pedunculo terminali in fructu 12.5-14 cm. longo minute dense puberulo, ramis principalibus tribus pedunculi 2.5-3.5 cm. longis minute atque dense puberulentibus rhachide in ramulos quater 9-11 mm longos minute denseque puberu-lentes terminanti; floribus vel fructibus ca tribus ramulos ultimos terminantibus, centralibus sessilibus lateralibus ca 0.5-1 mm. longipedicellatis; bracteis sub ramulis inflorescentiae subioliaceis oblanceolatis vel ovato-oblongis acutis 7-8 mm longis 2.5-3 mm latis, calyce hypanthioque 2.5-3 mm longo, hypanthio urceolato dense minuteque puberulenti; calycis apice leviter lobis deltoicleo-subrotundatis; fructibus sessilibus maturis 10-11 mm longis 12-13 mm latis; seminibus depresso-globosis dorsaliter convexis ventraliter umbonatis 8 mm diam, 5 mm crassis.

• Discussion

  This species differs from the previously described I. piresii in having much larger leaf-blades with more prominent, transverse tertiary veins, longer peduncles, 3 instead of 5 rays to the inflorescence, and leaves in 4’s instead of 3’s.