Struthanthus gracilis
Content
Description
Sparsely branching, smooth plants; young twigs much elongated (up to10 cm), bearing recurved leaves on prehensile petioles; internodes terete, often bearing epicortical roots. Petiole 0.5-0.7 cm long; mature blade rather coriaceous, lance-elliptic to obovate, to 6 x 3.5 cm, apex acute to obtuse or mucronate, base acute; venation pinnate. Inflorescence mostly solitary in leaf axils, to 6 cm long, bearing 5-7 pairs of sessile triads; bract and bracteoles short and blunt, transformed into small, shallow cupules. Flower 0.4 cm long, pale green; style nearly as long as petals, stigma well developed, capitate. Fruit ellipsoid, at least 0.5 x 0.35 cm, bright yellow when mature.
Distribution
Bolivar present, Guyana present, Southern America: Brazil North (Amazonas present); Venezuela (Venezuela present)
Venezuela (Amazonas, Bolívar) and Guyana; 15 collections studied (GU: 12).
Notes
This species is very reminiscent of a small S. orbicularis (Kunth) Blume , to which it is undoubtedly closely related; especially the young twigs look very much like slender ones of S. orbicularis . It differs in its smaller leaves and curious, sessile triads, the fruiting pedicels not accrescing.