Tepuia tatei Camp, Brittonia 3: 179, fig. 4.  1939.  Type:  Venezuela.  Bolívar:  Auyán-tepui, 2200 m, Dec 1937 (fl), Tate 1350 (holotype, NY,  photo NY neg. 10133).  Images:  Habit. SEM of pollen.
    Tepuia tatei Camp var. chimantana Steyermark & Maguire, Acta Bot. Venez. 2(5-8): 308.  1967.  Type:  Venezuela.  Bolívar:  Macizo de Chimantá, central section, between Middle Falls and Upper Falls of Río Tirica, 1925-1940 m, 4 Feb 1955 (fl, fr), Steyermark & Wurdack 387 (holotype, VEN, photo NY neg. 12219;  isotypes, F, K, NY, photo NY neg. 10132, W).
         Shrublet 0.1-0.3(-1) m tall;  mature stem terete, striate to ribbed, moderately short-grayish-white-pilose to glabrate;  twigs subterete to terete, striate to ribbed, densely to moderately short-white- to ferruginous-pilose (glabrate).  Leaves coriaceous, basically flat to long-revolute, except apex, ovate-elliptic, 1.5-2.5(-3.8) x (0.3-)0.6-1(-1.3) cm, base broadly cuneate and short-decurrent, or obtuse, apex acute with actual apex conspicuously, bluntly and stoutly mucronate, or rarely obtuse to rounded, margin bearing 1 pair of pustular glands at the base of the lamina, weakly short-white-pilose above when young then glabrate, densely short-tomentose over entire lower surface (except midrib and sometimes lateral nerves) with white, grayish-white, to tan or ferruginous hairs;  pinnately nerved, midrib shallowly impressed above, raised beneath, lateral nerves (ca. 4 per side) obscure above, slightly raised beneath but usually obscure;  petiole subterete, flat but not conspicuously canaliculate above, rugose (ribbed), 3-5 mm long, moderately and shortly white- or ferruginous-pilose.  Inflorescence 1-4(-8)-flowered;  rachis subterete, bluntly angled, striate, rugose, 5-10(-20) mm long, moderately and shortly white- or ferruginous-pilose, or glabrate;  floral bract concave, ovate, 1.5-1.8 mm long, acute to obtuse, moderately and shortly white- or ferruginous-pilose to glabrous;  pedicel subterete, striate, 5-11 mm long, moderately and shortly white- or ferruginous-pilose, glabrate distally;  bracteoles broadly ovate, keeled, 2-2.5 mm long, acute, pubescent as floral bract.  Flowers nodding, with calyx (6-)8-10 mm long, essentially glabrous or lobes white- or ferruginous-puberulent in apical one-third, or only at tips both without and within, lobes themselves rugose, ovate, 6-8 mm long, acuminate;  corolla 12-13 mm long, ca. 8 mm diam., pink to red when fresh, glabrous or weakly short-pilose along angles distally, lobes broadly triangular, 2-3 mm long, acute, reflexed;  stamens ca. 8 mm long (from corolla 13 mm long);  filaments ca. 5.2 mm long;  anthers (2-)3-3.8 mm long; thecae ca. (1-)2.2 mm long, base conspicuously mucronate (ca. 0.3  m long);  tubules 1-1.3 mm long;  style 5-7 mm long, glabrous (very rarely weakly pilose at apex);  ovary glabrous or rarely very weakly pilose.  Berry ± spherical, to ca. 1 cm diam., red.

         Distribution (Map).  Endemic to the eastern Venezuelan Guayana and known from Auyán-tepui, Yuruaní-tepui, Kukenán-tepui, Chimantá Massif, and the Sierra de Lema.  It is found in open brush, or boggy or sandy savannas over sandstone, or thickets near streams, at elevations from 1650 to 2500 m.  Flowering specimens have been collected from Dec to Aug and fruiting from Jan to Apr.  The roots of Luteyn & Steyermark 9595 emitted the odor of wintergreen when crushed.