Abstract

RODRIGUEZ R, Leyda; CARLSEN, Mónica; BEVILACQUA, Mariapía  and  GARCIA, Mayra. Vascular plants collection of the Caura river basin (Bolivar State) deposited at the National Herbarium of Venezuela. Acta Bot. Venez. [online]. 2008, vol.31, n.1, pp.107-250. ISSN 0084-5906.

Vascular plant specimens collected in the Caura river basin and deposited until 2003 at the National Herbarium of Venezuela, were revised in order to contribute with the knowledge of the flora of that region. 33 collectors and 7309 specimens which include 155 type specimens, 370 pteridophytes, two gymnosperms and 6934 angiosperms were recorded. Julian Steyermark, Claudia Knab-Vispo, Llewelyn Williams and Basil Stergios are the collectors with the highest number of samples. The collection consists of 159 families, 791 genera and 1913 species of vascular plants, including 18 subspecies and 16 varieties. Dryopteridaceae, Orchidaceae, Rubiaceae,Melastomataceae, Fabaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, Mimosaceae and Asteraceae were the families with the highest number of species. Of the total of species, 56 are restricted to the Caura river basin, mainly to the Jaua-Sarisariñama plateau and 10 were cultivated. The National Herbarium of Venezuela maintains a valuable collection from the Caura River basin, with representation of the firsts explorations made to this region, mainly by Félix Cardona, Llewelyn Williams and Julian Steyermark. For each species information about habit, habitat, collection localities in the basin, altitude, according to the label, and revised specimens are given in a checklist. The type specimen is indicated and also if the taxon is endemic or cultivated.

Keywords : Botanical explorations; catalog; Caura; collections; Guayana; Venezuela.