Jessenia polycarpa Karsten in Linnaea 28 (1856) 
388. 
Widespread in Venezuela and Colombia, Jessenia 
polycarpa—the milpesos of the Colombian Amazon—is 
one of the most conspicuous elements of the great Ama- 
zon and Orinoco forests. It supplies one of the chief, al- 
though transient, thatches of the Witoto Indians of El 
Encanto and La Chorrera. These Indians, who eall the 
plant ko-mai-hé, believe that the fruits of Jessenia poly- 
carpa, if eaten as a food, possess strong antitubercular 
properties. 
CotomsBia: Comisaria del Amazonas, Rio Caraparand, El Encanto. 
May 22-28, 1942, Richard Evans Schultes 3864. 
Leopoldinia pulchra Martius Hist. Nat. Palm. 2 
(1824) 59, t. 52-53, fig. 1-15. 
According to Dugand (in Caldasia 1 (1940) 48), this 
beautiful palm is known in Colombia from Mitti on the 
Rio Vaupés. Through one of its common names (yard), 
it has been reported also from the Rio Puritt in the tra- 
pecto amazonico (Convers Pinz6én in Bol. Soc. Geogr. Col. 
4 (1937) 227). Schultes & Lopez 9346 is apparently the 
second Colombian collection to be reported. Leopoldinia 
pulchra seems to occur most frequently in association 
with the proterozoic granitic shield. Therefore, we may 
expect it to be found only near the Brazilian boundary 
in Colombia, except perhaps for several small, isolated 
and outlying outcrops of this formation far to the west 
(e.g., near Araracuara). 
The Tukano Indian name of Leopoldinia pulchra in 
the upper Rio Negro basin is wee-peé-yo-ne. 
Cotomp1a: Comisaria del Vaupés, Rio Negro, Igarapé Rana (Cafio 
Ducuruapo), at confluence of Rios Guainia and Casiquiare. ‘‘Fifteen 
feet tall. Leaf one meter long. Along flood-bank.’’ December 13, 
1947, Pichard Evans Schultes & Francisco Lopez 9346. 
[ 39 | 
