Roupala sororopana

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Roupala sororopana

Content

<<<<Inflorescences>Bracts>Margins>Hairs>Colour

dark red1
1. 003-006-002-001-001

<<<<Leaves>Blade>Margins>Margin type>Crenation pair number

2-3 pairs2
2. 002-003-006-001-001

<<<Flowers>Filaments>Anthers>Dimensions

2-3 x 0.4-0.7 mm3
3. 005-002-003-001

<<<Inflorescences>Bracts>Margins>Hairs

fimbriate4
4. 003-006-002-001

<<<Leaves>Blade>Apex>Shape

acute, obtuse or rounded5
5. 002-003-005-001

<<<Leaves>Blade>Base>Shape

obtuse to rounded to truncate, rarely acute, usually symmetrical, often folded6
6. 002-003-004-001

<<<Leaves>Blade>Margins>Margin type

entire, very rarely with of large crenations, not revolute, rim markedly thickened7
7. 002-003-006-001

<<Flower buds>Apex>Width

1.2-1.8 mm broad8
8. 004-001-001

<<Flower buds>Hairs>Colour

dark brown or purple-grey, hairs swollen-based, short, sparse especially towards apex, dark red9
9. 004-004-001

<<Flower buds>Midlength>Width

0.8-1.3 mm broad at midlength10
10. 004-002-001

<<Flowers>Filaments>Anthers

anthers ;11
11. 005-002-003

<<Flowers>Filaments>Length

0.5-1 mm long12
12. 005-002-001

<<Flowers>Filaments>Relative distance

attached to tepals 4.5-9 mm from base13
13. 005-002-002

<<Flowers>Glands>Length

0.4-0.6 mm long14
14. 005-003-001

<<Flowers>Glands>Lobes

lobes in contact at base;15
15. 005-003-002

<<Flowers>Ovary hairs>Colour

dark red to red-brown16
16. 005-004-002

<<Flowers>Ovary hairs>Relative distance

extending 2.5-4 mm from base17
17. 005-004-001

<<Fruits>Apex>Constriction

constricted ca. 1.5 mm or less18
18. 007-003-001

<<Fruits>Base>Constriction

constricted for 3-5 mm19
19. 007-002-001

<<Fruits>Seeds>Dimensions

1.7-2.7 x 0.7-1 cm20
20. 007-005-001

<<Habit>Bark>Colour

dark red-brown to dark grey21
21. 001-002-001

<<Habit>Bark>Hairs

mostly glabrous22
22. 001-002-002

<<Habit>Lenticels>Lenticel number

absent, rarely few23
23. 001-003-001

<<Inflorescences>Bracts>Dimensions

0.6-1 x 0.4-0.8 mm24
24. 003-006-001

<<Inflorescences>Bracts>Margins

margin ;25
25. 003-006-002

<<Inflorescences>Hairs>Colour

dark red-brown26
26. 003-003-001

<<Inflorescences>Pedicels>Dimensions

2-4.5 x 0.5-1 mm27
27. 003-008-001

<<Inflorescences>Peduncle>Dimensions

0.8-2 cm x 1.5-2.8 mm28
28. 003-004-001

<<Infructescences>Fruit pedicels>Dimensions

3-4.5 x (1.2-)1.5-2.5 mm29
29. 006-003-001

<<Leaves>Blade>Apex

apex ,30
30. 002-003-005

<<Leaves>Blade>Base

base ,31
31. 002-003-004

<<Leaves>Blade>Dimensions

(3.5-)6-14 x (1.5-)4-10 cm32
32. 002-003-002

<<Leaves>Blade>Length relative to width

(length:breadth 1-2:1)33
33. 002-003-003

<<Leaves>Blade>Margins

margin ;34
34. 002-003-006

<<Leaves>Blade>Shape

ovate35
35. 002-003-001

<<Leaves>Hairs>Colour

drying pale green above, green-brown beneath, matt or shiny, young leaves with dense indument on both sides, furfuraceous, dark-brown to dark red-brown beneath, sometimes persistent above, glabrescent, sometimes remaining as grey or black36
36. 002-001-001

<<Leaves>Petiole>Hairs

glabrescent37
37. 002-002-003

<<Leaves>Petiole>Length

(0.3-)1.5-6 cm long38
38. 002-002-001

<<Leaves>Petiole>Width

3.5-4 mm broad at midlength39
39. 002-002-002

<<Leaves>Secondary veins>Secondary vein pair number

3-6 pairs40
40. 002-005-001

<<Leaves>Veins>Midveins

midvein generally reaching apex;41 midvein narrowly and shallowly grooved,42
41. 002-004-003, 42. 002-004-001

<<Leaves>Veins>Secondary veins

secondary veins slightly impressed to slightly raised above, raised beneath (tertiary venation obscure beneath), semicraspedodromous, branching very irregular, often angular,43
43. 002-004-002

<Flower buds>Apex

at apex44
44. 004-001

<Flower buds>Section

square in cross section45
45. 004-003

<Flowers>Filaments

filaments , ,46
46. 005-002

<Flowers>Glands

hypogynous glands ,47
47. 005-003

<Flowers>Length

6-12 cm long48
48. 005-001

<Flowers>Ovary hairs

ovary hairs , covering entire ovary and base of style, short-strigose, .49
49. 005-004

<Fruits>Apex

apex a small point, ,50
50. 007-003

<Fruits>Base

base ,51
51. 007-002

<Fruits>Dimensions

(1.8-)3-3.8 x (1.1-)1.3-1.9 cm52
52. 007-001

<Fruits>Seeds

seeds .53
53. 007-005

<Fruits>Style

style sometimes persistent;54
54. 007-004

<Habit>Bark

branch bark , with short longitudinal fissures, ;55
55. 001-002

<Habit>Height

0.5-8 m tall56
56. 001-001

<Habit>Lenticels

lenticels57
57. 001-003

<Inflorescences>Bracts

common bracts ,58
58. 003-006

<Inflorescences>Dimensions

10-25 x 1.8-2.5 cm59
59. 003-002

<Inflorescences>Flowers

flower-pair axis absent;60
60. 003-007

<Inflorescences>Hairs

furfuraceous, hairs short, close-appressed, , swollen at base61
61. 003-003

<Inflorescences>Pedicels

pedicels .62
62. 003-008

<Inflorescences>Peduncle

peduncle ;63
63. 003-004

<Inflorescences>Position

axillary64
64. 003-001

<Inflorescences>Sterile bracts

sterile bracts few towards base;65
65. 003-005

<Infructescences>Fruit pedicels

fruit pedicels .66
66. 006-003

<Infructescences>Hairs

glabrous or glabrescent67
67. 006-002

<Infructescences>Length

(5-)12.5-14.5 cm long68
68. 006-001

<Leaves>Blade

blade wide-elliptic or wide-ovate, rarely , ,69
69. 002-003

<Leaves>Hairs

patches70
70. 002-001

<Leaves>Petiole

petiole well defined, x , grooved towards blade, rugose, ;71
71. 002-002

<Leaves>Secondary veins

secondary veins .72
72. 002-005

<Leaves>Veins

venation conspicuous above, often more so than below,73
73. 002-004

Description

Shrub or treelet 0.5-8 m tall; branch bark dark red-brown to dark grey, with short longitudinal fissures, mostly glabrous; lenticels absent, rarely fewLeaves simple, rigid-coriaceous, drying pale green above, green-brown beneath, matt or shiny, young leaves with dense indument on both sides, furfuraceous, dark-brown to dark red-brown beneath, sometimes persistent above, glabrescent, sometimes remaining as grey or black patches; petiole well defined, (0.3-)1.5-6 cm long x 3.5-4 mm broad at midlength, grooved towards blade, rugose, glabrescent; blade wide-elliptic or wide-ovate, rarely ovate, (3.5-)6-14 x (1.5-)4-10 cm(length:breadth 1-2:1), base obtuse to rounded to truncate, rarely acute, usually symmetrical, often folded, apex acute, obtuse or rounded, margin entire, very rarely with 2-3 pairs of large crenations, not revolute, rim markedly thickened; venation conspicuous above, often more so than below, midvein narrowly and shallowly grooved, secondary veins slightly impressed to slightly raised above, raised beneath (tertiary venation obscure beneath), semicraspedodromous, branching very irregular, often angular, midvein generally reaching apex; secondary veins 3-6 pairs. Inflorescence axillary, unbranched, overtopping leaves, 10-25 x 1.8-2.5 cm, becoming thickened and woody, furfuraceous, hairs short, close-appressed, dark red-brown, swollen at base; peduncle 0.8-2 cm x 1.5-2.8 mm; sterile bracts few towards base; common bracts 0.6-1 x 0.4-0.8 mm, margin dark red fimbriate; flower-pair axis absent; pedicels 2-4.5 x 0.5-1 mm. Flower buds 1.2-1.8 mm broad at apex, 0.8-1.3 mm broad at midlength, robust, square in cross section, dark brown or purple-grey, hairs swollen-based, short, sparse especially towards apex, dark red. Flowers 6-12 cm long; filaments 0.5-1 mm long, attached to tepals 4.5-9 mm from base, anthers 2-3 x 0.4-0.7 mm; hypogynous glands 0.4-0.6 mm long, lobes in contact at base; ovary hairs extending 2.5-4 mm from base, covering entire ovary and base of style, short-strigose, dark red to red-brown. Infructescence (5-)12.5-14.5 cm long, glabrous or glabrescent; fruit pedicels 3-4.5 x (1.2-)1.5-2.5 mm. Fruit oval, (1.8-)3-3.8 x (1.1-)1.3-1.9 cm, sutured and unsutured sides curved +/- to same degree, marginal vein strong, raised, running around periphery of fruit, base constricted for 3-5 mm, apex a small point, constricted ca. 1.5 mm or less, style sometimes persistent; seeds 1.7-2.7 x 0.7-1 cm.

Distribution

Gran Sabana present, Sororopán-, Torono-, Uei-, Chimantá-tepui present, Southern America: Venezuela (Venezuela present), Suriname present, on the summits of tepuis of the Chimantá Massif present, summit of Julianatop, 1200 m alt., part of the Wilhelmina Mts present
Venezuela (Gran Sabana), on the summits of tepuis of the Chimantá Massif (Sororopán-, Torono-, Uei-, Chimantá-tepui) and also on the summit of Julianatop, 1200 m alt., part of the Wilhelmina Mts. in Suriname (SU: 1).

Flower buds

Flower buds , , robust, , .74
74. 004

Flowers

Flowers ;75
75. 005

Fruits

Fruit oval, , sutured and unsutured sides curved +/- to same degree, marginal vein strong, raised, running around periphery of fruit,76
76. 007

Habit

Shrub or treelet ;77
77. 001

Inflorescences

Inflorescence , unbranched, overtopping leaves, , becoming thickened and woody, ;78
78. 003

Infructescences

Infructescence , ;79
79. 006

Leaves

Leaves simple, rigid-coriaceous, ;80
80. 002

Notes

This species is most closely related to Roupala suaveolens, but grows at generally higher altitudes. The leaves of R. soropoana are more rigid, and have a very different type of indument. Whereas the indument of R. suaveolens is velutinous to tomentose, that of R. sororopana is furfuraceous giving the underside of leaves a dirty appearance. Measurements for parts of R. suaveolens and R. sororopana usually fall within the same ranges, though the leaf length of R. sororopana is generally shorter, the common bracts are shorter and the ovary hairs reach considerably further from the base of the ovary (hairs short-strigose and close-appressed vs. hairs long, weak, sericeous, dense and bushing-out).
Roupala schulzii and R. paruensis have been included in synonymy with R. sororopana because the slight variations which originally separated them are unique to single (type) specimens and not considered valid under the broader concept of R. sororopana used here. R. schulzii was said to be distinguished from R. chimantensis by the number and course of secondary veins, and the longer pedicels and shorter perianth lobes, which lack an indument. The type specimen of R. schulzii is not different to the normal variation seen within R. sororopana, but from a lower altitude than is common in R. sororopana.

Phenology

Flowering from and fruiting in on the Chimantá Massif