120 THE GENUS PHOEADENDEON 



Pseudodichotomous, the slender branches with basal cataphyls only, 

 androgynous. Internodes moderate (1-3x30-40 mm.), somewhat papil- 

 lately roughened, acutely 4-angled, the upper rhombic. Cataphyls a sin- 

 gle pair, nearly basal, bifid. Leaves elliptical-obovate, more or less mu- 

 cronately obtuse or emarginate, 2-3x5-7 cm., cuneately subpetioled for 

 scarcely 5 mm. Spikes often clustered, very short (5-10 mm.) , with about 

 2 joints 4- to 6-flowered: peduncle 1-2 mm. long: scales ciliate. Fruit 

 ovoid, 3 mm. long, somewhat verrucose : sepals scarcely meeting. Plate 

 176. 



Brazilian region. The type from Ceara. 



Specimens examined: BRAZIL. Ceara (Gardner, 1675, the type). 



With shorter internodes (10-20 mm. long), and rather thick more 

 often obovate and emarginate leaves, it is var. minor Eichler, I. c., from 

 the same region (Gardner, 1669}. P^ate 175. 



PHORADENDRON CARACASANUM (Urban). 



Phoradendrum caracasanum Urban, Bot. Jahrb. v. 23. Beibl. 57. p. 4. 

 1897. 



Divaricately branched and pseudodichotomous, the rather stout 

 branches with basal cataphyls only, androgynous?. Internodes rather 

 short (2-3x15-40 mm.), very minutely papillate, rhombically ancipital or 

 acutely 4-angled or 4-winged. Cataphyls a single pair, nearly basal, 

 bifid. Leaves obovate, very obtuse, 1.5-2.5x3-3.5 cm., cuneately subpetioled 

 for about 5 mm., fleshy for the group and scarcely veined. Spikes sol- 

 itary, very short (5 mm.), with a single 4- or 6-flowered joint: peduncle 

 nearly suppressed. Fruit globose, 5 mm. in diameter, verrucose: sepals 

 inflexed. Plate 176. 



Venezuelan region. The type from Venezuela. 



Specimens examined : VENEZUELA. Between Macqueria and Caracas 

 (Gollmer, Feb. 2, 1855, the type). 



33. ARGENTINAE. 



Leaves small, rather coriaceous and usually sharply nerved from the 

 base. Shoots at first ancipital, rhombic, or square, papillate. Cataphyls 

 1 or exceptionally 2 pairs, on the basal joint only. Flowers in 4 or 4-f 2 

 series. Fruit subovoid, somewhat rough, with erect sepals. Bolivian and 

 southern Andean regions. 



Leaves broad for the group (1-2 cm.). P. argentinum. 

 Leaves narrow (under 1 cm.). 



Rather oblanceolate : spikes very short. P. Meliae. 



Lanceolate: spikes long for the group. P. Ernstianum. 



