images of Roraimaea coccinea

Common name: 

Latin name and synonyms: Roraimaea Struwe, S. Nilsson, & V. A. Albert (2008)

Etymology: Roraimaea was named after the Brazilian state Roraimaea where the type species occurs.

Species:   Two species.

Distribution:   The Guyana Shield in northern South America (northern Brazil and southern Venezuela only).

Habitat:  White sand savannas in Amazonian lowlands, and grasslands and rocky areas at high elevation on tepuis.

Characteristics: 

Evolution and related plants: Roraimaea belongs to tribe Helieae and is most closely related to other pollen tetrad-bearing genera such as Aripuana, Lehmanniella and the polyad-bearing Irlbachia pratensis.  Previously Roraimaea coccinea was included in Rogersonanthus, another Helieae genus, but Macrocarpaea has mostly pollen spread as monads (single pollen grains).

Economic uses: None known. 

Notes: 

Accepted species (synonyms in parenthesis) and their distribution:

References and publications: 

Struwe, L., S. Nilsson, & V. A. Albert. 2008. Roraimaea (Gentianaceae: Helieae) - a new gentian genus from white sands and tepuis of Brazil and Venezuela. Harvard Papers in Botany 13: 35-45.

© Lena Struwe, 2011