Tapeinostemon spenneroides
Content
Description
Herb, up to 3 m tall, woody at base. Branches terete. Petioles 0.5-2.5 cm long; blade membranaceous to subcoriaceous, elliptic to ovate or narrowly so, 4-13 x 2-5 cm, apex acute or acuminate, base rounded or acute, attenuate, minutely papillose and sparsely dark-glandular-punctate on both sides; 3-5-veined or 3-5-pliveined, flattened to slightly prominent above, prominent beneath. Inflorescence loose, pyramidal panicles, 4-30 cm long, including 0-10 cm long peduncle; bracts and bracteoles linear to ovate, 1-4 mm long(basal bracts often leaf-like); pedicels 2-4 mm long. Calyx green, 1-2 mm long, lobes linear-lanceolate, apex acuminate; corolla white, yellowish or greenish white, 3-6 mm long, lobes 0.5-1.5 mm long, papillose, apex acute; stamens with papillose, bidentate connective; ovary narrowly ellipsoid, 1-2 mm long, style 0.5-1.5 mm long, stigma lobes 0.2 mm long. Fruits green, bisulcate, narrowly ellipsoid, 3-5 mm long, except 1-3 mm long persistent style, valves inside with long appressed hairs; seeds rotundate, 0.3-0.5 mm diam.
Distribution
Acarai Mts present, Guyana present present, Mt. Kanaima present, Pakaraima present, Pakaraima Mts present, Southern America: Brazil North (Amazonas present); Colombia (Colombia present); Venezuela (Venezuela present), Suriname present present, Wilhelmina Mts present present
Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana (Pakaraima, Mt. Kanaima), Suriname (Wilhelmina Mts.), Brazil (Amazonas); 40 collections studied, of which 18 from the Pakaraima Mts. and 1 from the Acarai Mts. in Guyana, and 1 from the Wilhelmina Mts. in Suriname (GU: 19; SU: 1).