Taxonomic novelties in Neotropical Chrysobalanaceae: towards a monophyletic Couepia Author Sothers, Cynthia Author Prance, Ghillean T. Author Buerki, Sven Author Kok, Rogier De Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW 9 3 AE, England, UK. Email: r. dekok @ kew. org Author Chase, Mark W. Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW 9 3 DS, England, UK. Email: m. chase @ kew. org text Phytotaxa 2014 2014-06-18 172 2 176 200 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.172.3.2 journal article 10.11646/phytotaxa.172.3.2 1179-3163 5142506 Gaulettia canescens (Gleason) Sothers & Prance , comb. nov. Basionym: Parinari canescens Gleason (1931: 370) , as Parinarium . Couepia canescens (Gleason) Prance (1974b: 119) . Type:— VENEZUELA . Amazonas : Cerro Duida, Aguita Slope, August 1928 – April 1929 , Tate 870 ( holotype NY !, isotype K !). Tree to 10 m tall. Leaves oblong to oblong-lanceolate, coriaceous, 2–6.5 × 1.5–3.2 cm , densely brown-lanate pubescent beneath, the pubescence obscuring prominent venation with parallel secondary veins. Inflorescences racemes 1.5–3 cm long. Receptacle campanulate, 3–4 mm long. Stamens 12–16, unilateral with a few short staminodes opposite them. Fruit globose with a glabrous and verrucose epicarp. Illustration:— Prance (1998: 209) . Distribution and habitat: —Endemic to the Guayana Highland of Venezuela and Guyana . In lower montane to montane slope forests from (800–) 1000–1700 m elevation. Fig. 3 . FIGURE 3. Distribution of G. canescens . Conservation status: — Gaulettia canescens is here assessed as vulnerable, VU D1 ( IUCN 2001 ), since it occurs in higher-elevation habitats with restricted distribution. Selected specimens examined: — GUYANA . Demerara-Mahaica : track to St. Cuthbert’s Mission , 22 June 1990 , McDowell et al. 1741 ( NY !) . VENEZUELA . Bolívar : SE facing bluffs of NW Chimantá-tepui , 21 May 1953 , Steyermark 75526 ( NY !) . Amazonas : Sierra Parima, 18–23 May 1972 , Steyermark 105936 ( NY !, VEN !) .