ABSTRACT:

Gearum brasiliense N. E. Br. was first collected in October 1828 by W. J. Burchell. N. E.Brown(1882) gave a very accurate description of the inflorescence and flower structure, although Burchell's specimen was heavily damaged by insect feeding, but until recently this monotypic genus remained incompletely known, due to lack of leaf material definitely attributable to Gearum. Although a second collection of Gearum was made by Burchell (Burchell 8598-leaves only), around the time ofthe holotype gathering, it was not until 150 years later that a third collection was made by Alfeu de Araujo Dias (Vias 41), a Brazilian botanist working for the Projeto RADAMBRASIL.