1958] 



THE BOTANY OF THE GUAYAXA HIGHLAND PART III 



95 



MELASTOMATACEAE 



Microlicia benthamiana Tr. ex Cogn. 



Microlicia bryanthoides Oliv. Timehri 5: 192. 1886. 

 Microlicia steyermarMi Gl. Fieldiana Bot. 28: 425. 1952. 



Twenty-nine different collections, twenty of which have been made since 1950, 

 have been studied ; included in this material have been the holotypes of all three 

 names. Despite many permutations of these collections, no practical means of 

 separating- subspecifie categories is apparent. \Vere such variability accepted 

 within the many Brazilian species of Microlicia, the recognized categories would 

 perhaps be one-third of the present total. 



The sepal shape, degree of connective prolongation development, and espe- 

 cially the size, shape, and punctation of the leaves of M. benthamiana all vary 

 independently of one another in the various collections. The leaves of most 

 recent collections do not quite reach the maximum width of 3 mm seen in 

 Schomburgk 151.5 (the type number of M. benthamiana ) , although one sprig 

 of Maguire 33570 has leaves slightly exceeding 3 mm. Several evolutionary 

 pseudopods have appeared, the most definite being in Maguire & Maguire 40426 

 and 40391; in these Serra do Sol specimens, the leaves are remarkably crowded 

 and almost epunctate, only the leaf margins showing glands. Most of the 

 variability within M. benthamiana can be seen in the series Maguire & Maguirt 

 35117, 35278, 35347, all from Cerro Yutaje. A series showing slightly different 

 lines of variation is the material from Chimanta-tepui. Morphologically, M. 

 steyermarkii is very similar to the type of M. benthamiana, with slightly nar- 

 rower and slightly more punctate leaves. 



The following description incorporates the observed variability ; Shrubs 0.1-3 

 m, glabrous. Leaf blades 4-9 X 0.7-3 mm, elliptic to oblanceolate, the apex 

 rounded to acute, the base acute to narrowly acute, above epunctate to densely 

 punctate, below sparsely to densely punctate (the margins in densely punctate 

 leaves appearing subcrenulate) , usually faintly trinerved with apically evanes- 

 cent laterals; petioles scarcely distinct, sometimes calloused, to 0.8 mm long. 

 Flowers solitary on short foliose branches. Hypanthium 2-3.5 mm long, more 

 or less densely covered with reddish to yellow glands. Sepals 2-4.6 X 0.6-1.5 

 mm, usually about equaling the hypanthium in length, linear to narrowly tri- 

 angular, acute (in Maguire & Maguire 35347 tipped with a seta to 0.3 mm long). 

 Petals 6.6-12 X 3.5-6.8 mm, asymmetrically obovate to subelliptic, usually pink 

 (one plant, Steyermark & Wurdack 442, with white petals, among a large pink- 

 petaled population). Large stamens: filaments 3-5.5 mm; anthers short-rostrate, 

 2-2.8 mm long; connective below the anther 2.1-5.6 mm to the filament insertion, 

 straight for about % of this length, below the insertion 1.2-2.3 X 0.3-1 mm and 

 gradually widened to the rounded to truncate apex. Small stamens : filaments 

 2.4-5.3 mm; anthers short-rostrate, 1.3-2.4 mm long; connective below the anther 

 0.5-2.4 mm to the filament insertion, straight for almost the entire length, below 

 the insertion 0.3-0.9 X 0.2-0.35 mm and scarcely widened to the rounded to 

 slightly emarginate apex. 



Microlicia guanayana AYurdack, sp. nov. 



A congeneribus brasiliensibus differt forma foliorum. 



Fructiculus erectus, ramis superne satis ramosis modice incurvo-puberulis 

 pilis non glandulosis. Folia internodiis longiora; lamina 6- X 1.2-1.5 mm, 



