Hillia costanensis Steyerm.
-
Authority
Maguire, Bassett. 1972. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part IX. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 23: 1-832.
-
Family
Rubiaceae
-
Scientific Name
-
Description
Latin Diagnosis - Suffrutex epiphyticus ligneosus omnino glabrus; stipulis anguste lanceolatis acutis 15 × 3.5 mm; foliis sessilibus vel subsessilibus elliptico-ovatis vel oblongo-ellipticis apice acuminatis acumine 6-13 mm longo basi obtusis vel rotundatis 8.5-13 × 3.5-7 cm, costa media subtus in dimidio inferiore prominenti in dimidio superiore Obscura, nervis lateralibus utroque latere 7-10 adscendentibus aliquantum manifestis; petiolis 1-4 mm longis; floribus solitariis vel duobus terminalibus breviter pedicellatis, pedicellis in anthesi 3-4 mm longis in fructu ca 7 mm longis; calyce spathiformi 4-7 cm longo irregulariter 5-7-dentato plerumque uno latere 2.5-4 cm fisso cylindrico basi 1.1-1.5 cm lato apice 3 cm lato latiore ubi effuso, lobis late triangularibus obtusis 3.5-4 × 2-3 mm vel uno lobo majore ad 10 × 6 mm; corolla viridi late infundibuliformi 6-8 cm longa, tubo inferne contracto 3.2 × 0.5 cm superne ampliato 2.7-3.5 cm longo fauce 2.7-3 cm lato, lobis 6 recurvatis late ovatis vel late oblongo-ovatis obtusis vel rotundatis 15 × 10-12 mm; staminibus 6 exsertis, filamentis 8-10 mm longis infra basin loborum corollae 9-12 mm insertis, antheris linearibus apice rotundatis basi subsagittatis 12-15 mm longis; stylo 6.8 cm longo, stigmate leviter bilobulato; ovario cylindrico 6-12 × 5 mm; capsulis maturis 5 cm longis extus minute asperis, seminibus brunneo-ferrugineis, apice cum penicillio ad 10 mm longum, corpusculo elliptico 2 mm longo.
Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Coastal Cordillera of Venezuela.
-
Discussion
Type. Selva tropófila con peñascos calcáreos cerca del Puente de Jobo, Sierra de San Luis, entre Curimagua y San Luis, Estado Falcon, Venezuela, alt 800-900 m, 20 Jul 1967, epiphyte at base of tree trunks, Julian A. Steyermark 99274 (holotype VEN).
Paratypes. Estado Yaracuy: en selva nublada, Aracal, alt 600-800 m, 30 Mar 1967, Trujillo 7618; Hacienda Isabel de la Margarita, Salom, Mrs. Elisabeth Dieterichs (W). Estado Aragua: Fila de Paraiso, Parque Nacional Pittier, al oeste del Portachuelo de Rancho Grande, 16 Oct 1947, Pittier & Nakichenovich 1562.
This species is at once distinguished by the combination of large green corolla, long spathaceous calyx, and sessile or subsessile leaves. Plate 721 of Botanical Magazine, designated as Hillia longiflora Sw., shows a narrow salver form corolla tube and a flower without calyx segments, but there is present a split spathiform green structure at the base surrounding the lower 4.5 cm of the corolla tube and resembling a split sheath or stipule. The plant illustrated is stated to have come from the West Indies. Plate 5, fig 1 of Swartz’s Obs. Bot. depicts large stipules about 4.5 cm long at the base of the ovary and calyx segments about 5 mm long, while the corolla is shown as having a narrow elongated tube 8.5-9.5 cm long and 3-4 mm wide with corolla lobes narrow, linear-lanceolate, and about 2.5 × 0.3 cm. It is obvious that these illustrations refer to the taxon known as Hillia parasitica Jacq.
The spathiform calyx of H. costanensis appears to be a unique feature among species of the genus and it would appear to merit subgeneric consideration. However, until a revision of the entire genus has been undertaken, it seems wiser at present to defer an alteration of generic categories until later studies.