Appunia venezuelensis 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

    Appunia venezuelensis Steyerm.

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Arbor 2-5 m, ramis subquadrangularibus, ramulis novellis dense puberulen-tibus; stipulis integris cuspidatis vel bicuspidatis late triangularibus 2.5-3 mm longis extus glabris cuspide ad 1 mm longa; foliis oppositis vel apice ramorum oppositis vel ternatis petiolatis, petiolis 3-5 mm longis glabris; laminis elliptic-o-oblongis vel ovato-ellipticis apice abrupte acuminatis 11-17.5 cm longis 3-8 cm latis utrinque glabris, nervis lateralibus utroque latere 5-6 supra impressis subtus parce prominentibus; inflorescentia axillari vel terminali 3-7-flora simplici vel ternata, si ternata floribus centralibus sessilibus lateralibus breve pedunculatis ad 2-2.5 mm longis dense puberulentibus; pedunculo 0.6-1.5 cm longo dense puberu-lenti; bracteis sub flore late ovatis acutis 1.5 mm longis extus dense puberulentibus; calyce hypanthioque profunde campanulato 2.5 mm longo apice 2 mm lato; hypanthio 2 mm longo infra medium minute puberulenti; calyce 0.5-0.7 mm longo ore leviter denticulato ciliolato extus parce puberulenti; corolla cylindrico-hypocrateriformi 13-13.5 mm longa glabra, tubo 8-8.5 mm longo 1.5 mm lato extus glabro intus glabro nisi 4 mm supra basim pubescenti, lobis lineari-lanceolatis obtusis 5-6 mm longis 1-1.2 mm latis utrinque glabris; antheris lineari-oblongis 2.2 mm longis apice obtuse acutiusculis basi rotundatis, filamentis 0.5 mm longis supra basim tubi eorollae 6 mm affixis; stylo 1.7 mm longo glabro, stigmate 0.5 mm longo; ovario 4-loculare, loculis uniovulatis; fructu oblongo vel ovoideo-oblongo 9-10 mm longo 7-8 mm lato.

  • Discussion

    This is related to A. guatemalensis D. Sm., from which it differs in the more densely puberulent peduncles, densely puberulent young stems or branchlets, glabrous external surface of corolla-tube, glabrous external surface of the corolla-lobes, and non-apiculate anthers.