Chomelia glabriuscula Steyerm.
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett. 1972. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part IX. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 23: 1-832.
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Family
Rubiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Arbor vel suffrutex scandens interdum spinosus, spinis 11-15 mm longis glabris; ramis glabris vel juvenilibus sparsim pilosulis; stipulis triangulari-linearibus vel lanceolatis caudato-acuminatis 5-10 mm longis extus secus medium strigillosis ceterum glabris; foliis petiolatis, petiolis 5-20 mm longis supra sparsim pilosulis vel glabratis subtus sparsim pilosulis; laminis elliptico-ovatis apice acuminatis basi acutis vel acuminatis 7-17 × 3-7 cm supra secus costam mediam nervos lateralesque sparsim pilosis pilis demum evanescentibus subtus costa media nervis lateralibusque sparsim pilosulis ceterum glabris, nervis lateralibus utroque latere 7-9 arcuato-adscendentibus supra tenuiter impressis subtus tenuiter elevatis in marginem aliquantum obscure desinentibus, venulis tertiariis tenuiter lineolatis; inflorescentiis sub anthesi confertim multifloris sub fructu laxe dispositis; infructescentia laxe ramosa 3 cm alta 4.5-6 cm lata, ramis ad 2-2.5 cm longis; pedunculo axillari 3-6.5 cm longo sparsim vel moderatim pilosulo pilis subadscendentibus vel subadpressis munito; floribus sessilibus vel pedicellatis, pedicellis 0.5-1.5 mm longis; inflorescentiae bracteis subulatis vel spathulatis 2-3 × 0.5 mm glabris; bracteolis basi florae 2-3 liberis lineari-lanceolatis acuminatis glabris; hypanthio oblongo-cylindrico 2.2 × 1.3 mm glabro vel moderatim strigilloso; calycis tubo 1 × 1.5 mm glabro vel moderatim strigilloso, intus infra sinus una glandula ovata carnosa munito, lobis 4 inaequalibus duobus longioribus linearibus vel lanceolato-linearibus 2-4 × 0.3-0.5 mm vel interdum uno subfoliaceo spathulato obtuso unguiculato 5.5 × 2 mm, ungue 1 mm lato vel tribus lineari-spathulatis vel lanceolato-linearibus acutis vel obtusis glabris 2-4 × 0.5-0.8 mm; disco apice pubescenti pilis erectis munito ceterum glabro; corollis anguste cylindricis 32-34 mm longis extus cinereo-strigillosis, tubo 27-28 mm longo basi 1.8-2 mm lato fauce 2-3 mm lato intus parte basilari 12 mm glabra ceterum adpresso-piloso, lobis 4 linearibus obtusis 6-6.5 × 1.5-1.6 mm infra apicem paullo corniculatis munitis intus glabris extus strigillosis; staminibus 4 ad apicem tubi insertis, antheris linearibus basi sagittatis lobis 2 mm longis, obtuse apiculatis 4.8-5 mm longis glabris, filamentis 0.7-1 mm longis glabris infra faucem 4 mm affixis; stylo 20 mm longo glabro, stigmatibus linearibus 2 mm longis; fructu 8-9 × 3.5-4 mm moderatim strigilloso.
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Discussion
Type. Sur les rives de la riviere Camopi (affluent de l’Oyapock) en aval de l’enbouchure de la crique Grand Tamouri, French Guiana, 12 Feb 1968, Oldeman & Sastre 209 (holotype P).
Paratypes. Rives du bas de la crique Inipi sur 3 km de son embouchure appartenent a la riviere Camopi (affluent de l’Oyapock), French Guiana, 7 Feb 1968, Olden-man & Sastre 68 (P); Cayenne, 1859, Sagot s n (P).
Among the South American taxa, this is distinct in having the calyx and hypanthium glabrous to nearly glabrous, combined with the glabrity of the vegetative parts, although a moderately strigillose pubescence is sometimes present on the peduncles, inflorescence branches, hypanthium, and calyx tube, as seen on the paratype specimen of Sagot s n. From C. grandifolia (Huber) Stey. of Para, Brazil, C. glabriuscula differs in the elongate linear or subulate calyx lobes, the linear corolla lobes, longer corolla, and more glabrity on the leaf blades, petioles, and peduncles. An unpublished herbarium name, indicated by Schumann, appears on the photo of a type specimen from French Guiana (Herb. Kunth in Berlin Herb.), and may be the same as the species here described as C. glabriuscula. Although the Sagot s n specimen, cited above, diverges from the other collections cited under C. glabriuscula because of the moderately strigillose peduncle, branches of the inflorescence, and fruiting hypanthium and calyx tube, it shows, nevertheless, the elongated, linear or subulate glabrous or glabrate calyx lobes and bracteoles of that species. It also strongly resembles the leaves of C. glabriuscula in size, glabrity, and conspicuous sulcate nerves above.