660 GRIGGS: SPECIES OF HELICONIA 
Heliconia Boringuena and H. Champneiana, which is closely 
related to it, are easily distinguishable from the others of the group 
to which they belong by the orange branch-bracts, for all the 
others are margined with a color different from that of the cheeks. 
HeticoniA MariAE Hook. f. 
This species is a giant in a genus of giants; it sometimes 
reaches a height of 12 meters when growing in the shade and 
protected from the weather. Most plants are, however, not more 
than two thirds as large. Its general appearance when growing 
in masses is strikingly similar to that of a banana plantation, 
though the individual plant would never, even if not in flower, be 
mistaken for a banana, because of the smaller number of leaves. 
Leaves 2-3 m. long, about 60 cm. broad, oblong-elliptical, 
obliquely subcordate at the base, acute at the tip, when young 
covered with a slight evanescent bloom : inflorescence a dark rose- 
color, at the end of a long (60 cm.) nodding peduncle ; bracts 
densely imbricated, concealing the rachis in the fresh specimen, 
panicle generally not much longer than broad, but sometimes very 
long, with very many branch-bracts ; lowest fertile branch-bracts 
slightly reflexed, ovate, 8-q cm. long, 7-8 cm. broad, attenuate 
to a blunt frayed tip, narrowed to the base, those from the middle 
of the inflorescence nearly orbicular when spread out, 6-7 cm. 
long, 7-8 cm. broad, widest at the middle, narrowed both ways 
to the blunt tip and base, with more or less short soft brown hair: 
flowers about ten to a branch-bract, their exposed tips rose, fading 
into white on the shielded portions, 4-5 cm. long, with flower- 
bracts a little shorter and sometimes at least 2 cm. broad, often 
conduplicate and keeled below where compressed by the surround- — 
ing flowers, part of them hairy ; ovary white, turning deep blue 
when ripe ; pedicel very variable in length. 
There are some discrepancies between this plant and the ve 
scriptions of Hooker’s plant, but they are mostly in size and hairi- 
ness. In more constant particulars they seem to correspond very 
well. 
This species grows abundantly around and a little above 
Panzos (no. 787). None of it was seen along the Polochic, nor 
does it ascend to Sepacuité. A solitary clump was seen in the 
valley of the Oxec. 
Beside the species already described one other was collected 
in the valley of the Oxec. Only one plant was seen and that 
