Irlbachia breviflora

<<<Flowers>Calyx>Apex>Shape

obtuse1

1. 005-002-005-001

<<<Flowers>Calyx>Lobes>Dimensions

2 x 2 mm2

2. 005-002-003-002

<<<Flowers>Calyx>Lobes>Shape

elliptic3

3. 005-002-003-001

<<<Flowers>Corolla>Apex>Shape

acuminate4

4. 005-003-004-001

<<<Flowers>Corolla>Lobes>Dimensions

3-6 x 5-6 mm5

5. 005-003-003-002

<<<Flowers>Corolla>Lobes>Shape

elliptic6

6. 005-003-003-001

<<<Flowers>Corolla>Throat>Colour

inside white-striped7

7. 005-003-002-001

<<<Flowers>Corolla>Throat>Length

10-19 mm long8

8. 005-003-002-003

<<<Flowers>Corolla>Throat>Shape

broadly funnel-shaped9

9. 005-003-002-002

<<<Flowers>Corolla>Throat>Width

4-8 mm wide at mouth10

10. 005-003-002-004

<<<Flowers>Pistil>Ovary>Dimensions

ca. 3 x 2 mm11

11. 005-006-002-001

<<<Flowers>Pistil>Stigma lobes>Dimensions

1-2 x 1-2 mm12

12. 005-006-004-002

<<<Flowers>Pistil>Stigma lobes>Shape

narrowly oblong13

13. 005-006-004-001

<<<Flowers>Pistil>Style>Length

4-12 mm long14

14. 005-006-003-001

<<<Flowers>Stamens>Anthers>Colour

white15

15. 005-004-002-001

<<<Flowers>Stamens>Anthers>Growth form

recurved after anthesis16

16. 005-004-002-004

<<<Flowers>Stamens>Anthers>Length

2-3 mm long17

17. 005-004-002-003

<<<Flowers>Stamens>Anthers>Shape

linear18

18. 005-004-002-002

<<<Flowers>Stamens>Filaments>Length

6-11 mm long19

19. 005-004-001-001

<<<Leaves>Blade>Apex>Shape

acute20

20. 003-002-005-001

<<<Leaves>Blade>Base>Shape

rounded to slightly attenuate21

21. 003-002-006-001

<<<Leaves>Blade>Margins>Shape

flat22

22. 003-002-004-001

<<<Leaves>Blade>Midveins>Secondary vein pair number

1 pair (rarely 2)23

23. 003-002-007-001

<<Flowers>Calyx>Apex

apex ;24

24. 005-002-005

<<Flowers>Calyx>Colour

green25

25. 005-002-001

<<Flowers>Calyx>Dimensions

3-5 x 3-4 mm26

26. 005-002-002

<<Flowers>Calyx>Lobes

lobes , ,27

27. 005-002-003

<<Flowers>Calyx>Margins

margin hyaline,28

28. 005-002-004

<<Flowers>Corolla>Apex

apex ;29

29. 005-003-004

<<Flowers>Corolla>Colour

white, blue, to purple30

30. 005-003-001

<<Flowers>Corolla>Lobes

lobes , ,31

31. 005-003-003

<<Flowers>Corolla>Throat

throat and midrib , , , ,32

32. 005-003-002

<<Flowers>Pistil>Length

ca. 10 mm long33

33. 005-006-001

<<Flowers>Pistil>Ovary

ovary ,34

34. 005-006-002

<<Flowers>Pistil>Stigma lobes

stigma lobes , .35

35. 005-006-004

<<Flowers>Pistil>Style

style ,36

36. 005-006-003

<<Flowers>Stamens>Anthers

anthers , , , ;37

37. 005-004-002

<<Flowers>Stamens>Filaments

filaments , bent,38

38. 005-004-001

<<Fruits>Seeds>Colour

brown39

39. 006-005-001

<<Fruits>Seeds>Diameter

ca. 1 mm in diam.40

40. 006-005-002

<<Inflorescences>Bracts>Dimensions

ca. 1-2 x 0.5-1 mm41

41. 004-002-001

<<Inflorescences>Flower number per inflorescence>Flower number

3-70-flowered42

42. 004-001-001

<<Inflorescences>Pedicels>Length

1-8(-11) mm long43

43. 004-003-001

<<Leaves>Blade>Apex

apex ,44

44. 003-002-005

<<Leaves>Blade>Base

base ,45

45. 003-002-006

<<Leaves>Blade>Dimensions

1.1-8 x 0.4-2.6 cm46

46. 003-002-003

<<Leaves>Blade>Margins

margin ,47

47. 003-002-004

<<Leaves>Blade>Midveins

midvein raised below, with of basal arcuate secondary veins.48

48. 003-002-007

<<Leaves>Blade>Shape

narrowly elliptic, lanceolate, to broadly elliptic49

49. 003-002-002

<<Leaves>Blade>Texture

membranaceous to coriaceous50

50. 003-002-001

<<Leaves>Petiole>Length

0-1.2 cm long51

51. 003-001-001

<<Stems and branches>Internodes>Length

0.8-12 cm long52

52. 002-004-001

<<Stems and branches>Wings>Wing number

253

53. 002-003-001

<Flowers>Calyx

calyx , ,54

54. 005-002

<Flowers>Corolla

corolla ,55

55. 005-003

<Flowers>Growth form

erect, horizontal or nodding56

56. 005-001

<Flowers>Pistil

pistil ,57

57. 005-006

<Flowers>Pollen

pollen exine reticulate with groups of spines in polar areas;58

58. 005-005

<Flowers>Stamens

stamens exserted from corolla mouth,59

59. 005-004

<Fruits>Colour

brown60

60. 006-002

<Fruits>Dimensions

6-9 x 3-4 mm61

61. 006-004

<Fruits>Growth form

erect, horizontal or slightly nodding62

62. 006-001

<Fruits>Seeds

seeds ,63

63. 006-005

<Fruits>Shape

ovoid-ellipsoid64

64. 006-003

<Habit>Height

40-80(-150) cm high65

65. 001-001

<Inflorescences>Bracts

bracts awl-shaped, ;66

66. 004-002

<Inflorescences>Pedicels

pedicel .67

67. 004-003

<Leaves>Blade

blade , , ,68

68. 003-002

<Leaves>Petiole

petiole ;69

69. 003-001

<Stems and branches>Diameter

up to 0.5 cm in diam.70

70. 002-001

<Stems and branches>Internodes

internodes .71

71. 002-004

<Stems and branches>Shape

terete72

72. 002-002

<Stems and branches>Wings

with narrow wings on each side of stem73

73. 002-003

Description

Herb, 40-80(-150) cm high, sparsely branched. Stems and branches up to 0.5 cm in diam., terete, with 2 narrow wings on each side of stem; internodes 0.8-12 cm long. Leaves sessile to shortly petiolate, arranged close to base or spread out along stem; petiole 0-1.2 cm long; blade membranaceous to coriaceous, narrowly elliptic, lanceolate, to broadly elliptic, 1.1-8 x 0.4-2.6 cm, margin flat, apex acute, base rounded to slightly attenuate, midvein raised below, with 1 pair (rarely 2) of basal arcuate secondary veins. Inflorescence 3-70-flowered, long-stalked; bracts awl-shaped, ca. 1-2 x 0.5-1 mm; pedicel 1-8(-11) mm long. Flowers erect, horizontal or nodding; calyx green, 3-5 x 3-4 mm, lobes elliptic, 2 x 2 mm, margin hyaline, apex obtuse; corolla white, blue, to purple, throat and midrib inside white-striped, broadly funnel-shaped, 10-19 mm long, 4-8 mm wide at mouth, lobes elliptic, 3-6 x 5-6 mm, apex acuminate; stamens exserted from corolla mouth, filaments 6-11 mm long, bent, anthers white, linear, 2-3 mm long, recurved after anthesis; pollen exine reticulate with groups of spines in polar areas; pistil ca. 10 mm long, ovary ca. 3 x 2 mm, style 4-12 mm long, stigma lobes narrowly oblong, 1-2 x 1-2 mm. Fruit erect, horizontal or slightly nodding, brown, ovoid-ellipsoid, 6-9 x 3-4 mm; seeds brown, ca. 1 mm in diam.

Distribution

Guianas present, Guyana present, Pakaraima Mts present, S Venezuela, tepui summits and slopes present

S Venezuela, tepui summits and slopes, and adjacent Guyana (Pakaraima Mts.); 67 collections studied, of which 12 from the Guianas (GU: 12).

Flowers

Flowers ;74

74. 005

Fruits

Fruit , , , ;75

75. 006

Habit

Herb, , sparsely branched.76

76. 001

Individuals Association

Guyana, Pakaraima Mts, Mt Aymatoi (sandstone), Maas et al. 5800 Guyana, Haieka Savanna, 2 km E of Chinowieng Village, Tillett et al. 45251 Guyana, upper Mazaruni R. region, Karowtepu Mt., Boom & Gopaul 7556

Inflorescences

Inflorescence , long-stalked;77

77. 004

Leaves

Leaves sessile to shortly petiolate, arranged close to base or spread out along stem;78

78. 003

Notes

This species shows large plasticity, with plants only 5 cm high in moss-covered habitats to ca. 80 cm high in open sandy areas. Irlbachia breviflora is very similar to the lowland species I. nemorosa (Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.) Merrill, which is found in S Venezuela and N Brazil. Both species show extensive variability and some researchers have treated them as conspecific. The main differing characteristic is the longer peduncle of I. breviflora, giving it a long-stalked inflorescence, and a tendency to have the leaves aggregated closer to the base. Seeds of I. breviflora also appear to have only concave cells, whereas plants from the lowlands have seeds with both dome-like and concave cells, but this needs to be confirmed with additional studies.
This species has been known as I. cardonae (Gleason) Maguire until now. Studies of the type material of Lisianthus breviflorus Benth. identified these as the same species. Since Bentham’s name (1840) has nomenclatoral priority over Gleason’s name (1939), the name of the species had to be changed.

Phenology

Flowering and fruiting .

Stems and branches

Stems and branches , , ;79

79. 002

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