33 



range of Venezuela near Puerto Gabello, near the middle of 

 the last century, and described it in his magnificent work 

 of the flora of Colombia. It does not apipear to have been 

 reported again since that time but its occurrence in the 

 virgin forests around Port Obaldla, near the mouth of the 

 Atrato diver, seems to indicate a wide distribution along 

 the southern shores of the Caribbean 3ea. The natives of 

 Port Obaldia have no name for it and the wood does not seeip 

 to be generally used. 



The Darien 3rowneopsi 3 



irowneopsis excelsa Pittier, Contrib. U.3. IJat. Herb, 



18:157. lyiG. 



Deacription of the tree 



A tree, 25 tc 30 m. high, the trunk up 

 diameter, covered with a grayish bark, the 

 with spreading branches. 



to 50 cip. in 

 crown elongate, 



Leaves paripinnate, 2 to 3- jugate, glabrous, the rachis 

 4 to 10 cm. long, slender, terete, the leaflets subopposite, 

 petilulate; petiolules 5 mm. long:{ leaflet blades ovate, 

 long cuspidate, 3 to 10 cm. long, 1 to 4 cm. broad, subco- 

 riaceous, glandular at the base, the costa prominent 

 beneath; stipules small and deciduous. Inflorescences 

 mostly terminal, the flowers groupe.l in 4 or 5 clusters 

 surrounded by numerous, imbricate, deciduous bracts. Pe- 

 duncles thick, about 1 cm. long; bracts clasping, obcvate, 

 pubescent, 2 to 3.5 mm. long, the 'ipper ones lo:igest. .ie- 

 ce_;)taGular tube thick, abcat 3 ram. long; sepals 4, oetalcid, 

 glabrous, the 3 exterior ones 2.5 cm. long, 5 mm. broad, 

 the interior one shorter, broader, lobulate and clasping. 

 Petals 5, obovate-elongate, about 3 cr.i. long and 5 mm. 

 broad, pale pin!:. Stamens 14 or 15, up to 3,5 cm. long. 

 Ovar:^ stipitate, multiovulate, densely pubescent; stylo 

 ^ Qm, long; stigma capitellate. Legume about 13 cm. long 

 arid Z',5 cm. broad, flat, stipitate, falcate; seeds ovoid- 

 depressed, 2.5 to 3 cm. long and 1.7 to 2.2 cm. broad. 



