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Shuaria ecuadorica D.A.Neill & J.L.Clark, type and only species Clark, J.L. et al., Fig. 4 (2008) |
last modified: 2010-09-22
Full name and orig. publication: Shuaria D.A.Neill & J.L.Clark, in Clark, J.L. et al., Syst. Bot. 35(3): 670 (2008)
Etymology: Named for the ethnic group of Shuar, indigenous of Amazonian Ecuador.
Synonyme: -
Infrafamilial position: Gesnerioid Gesneriaceae (Gesnerioideae) - Beslerieae
Description: Small tree, 3–5(-8) m tall, frequently with multiple trunks arising from the tree base. Leaves opposite, (sub)equal, pairs sometimes mixed with alternate leaves, shortly petiolate, blade narrowly oblong to elliptic, sometimes slightly falcate, apex acuminate, base acute and often oblique, margins serrulate to serrate, both leaf surfaces with lepidote (stellate) hairs. Inflorescences axillary, emerging from the upper leaves, pair-flowered dichasial cymes, ebracteolate. Calyx of five equal lobes. Corolla white, tubular, gibbous at the base and shallowly pouched on ventral side, corolla posture perpendicular relative to the calyx at anthesis, limb of five equal, rounded lobes. Stamens 4, subequal to slightly didynamous; filaments broad and flattened basally, adnate to the corolla base, staminode present, half as long as the fertile filaments; anthers included, anthers connate prior to anthesis and separating at anthesis. Nectary absent. Ovary unilocular, ovoid or cone-like, stigma bilobed. Fruit a bivalved dry capsule, septicidally dehiscent, with a long persistent style and often tearing from the base by the splitting of the valves. Seeds numerous, minute, elliptic, surface reticulate, less than 1 mm long.
Chromosome number: unknown
Type and only species: Shuaria ecuadorica D.A.Neill & J.L.Clark.
Distribution: Cordillera del Cóndor and Amazonian regions of southeastern Ecuador
Ecology: Growing in lowland rain forest and lower montane cloud forest, with an elevation range from 420 to 1,600 m.
Notes: The genus/species is a recent discovery from a botanically little known region of southeastern Ecuador. It has a number of uncommon characters such as arborescent habit, lepidote hairs on vegetative and floral organs, small white and slightly gibbous flowers, and capsules opening septicidally by two valves. The affiliation to tribe Beslerieae is essentially based on molecular data.
Selected references: Clark, J.L. et al., Syst. Bot. 35(3): 662–674 (2010).
Bibliography: See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005. Bibliography of the Gesneriaceae. 2nd edition: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Bibliography.
Illustrations:
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Shuaria ecuadorica D.A.Neill & J.L.Clark, type and only species Clark, J.L. et al., Fig. 4 (2008) |
last modified: 2010-09-22