MELASTOMACEAE 
Graffenrieda fantastica R. 1. Schultes & L. B. 
Smith sp. nov. 
Frutex usque ad duodecim pedes altus. Truncus valde 
contortus, nigro cum cortice 1-1.5 em. crasso. Rami 
teretes, crassissimi et molles, vivo rufo-brunneo cum cor- 
tice chartaceo, nitidissimo, decorticanti, siccitate cinereo- 
nigro. Folia rotundato-ovata, basi subcordata, apice sub- 
rotundata vel obscure subacuta, marginata, quinquener- 
via, nervis transversalibus utrinque obscuris, siccitate 
atrofusca vel luteo-viridia, vivo atroviridia, omnino gla- 
bra et nitidissima, 8-10 cm. longa, 6-8 cm. lata, longe 
petiolata; petioli teretes, 83cm. longi, dure et crasse cori- 
acea. Paniculae terminales, multiflorae, quam folia multo 
longiores. Flores albi, usque ad 5 mm. lati. Calycis tubus 
suboblongus, 1-1.5 mm. altus, basi rotundatus, apice 
paulo dilatatus, omnino glaber, fusco-purpureus, pro- 
funde trilobatus, lobis triangularibus, apice rotundatis, 
Antherae flavae, subulatae, faleato-recurvatae, 2-3 mm. 
longae, 0.5 mm. crassae, loculis arcuato-crispatis apice 
longe attenuatis, connectivo in parte basali breviter cal- 
varato, Petala ovata, margine paulo irregularia, erecto- 
patula, membranacea, alba, 8—4.5 mm. longa, 2-2.5 mm. 
lata. Ovarium conspicue quinquesuleatum, superne ro- 
tundatum, 1.5-2 mm. longum. Stylus luteus, gracilis, 
6-7 mm. longus, stigmate capitellato. Capsula fuscentia, 
ovoidea, apice valde truncata, 8.5-4 mm. longa, 2.5-3 
mm. in diametro. 
This extraordinary bush, growing in the most exposed 
and inhospitable places on Mount Chiribiquete, is cer- 
tainly one of the most outstandingly distinct species of 
the genus. It does not appear to be closely related to any 
known species, perhaps approaching most closely Graf- 
Jenrieda sessilifola Triana, which is found on Mount 
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