36 



MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN 



[VOL. 10 



Herbae terrestres perennes, f oliis linearibus, pedunculo pseudoterminali ; cau- 

 dice cum vagrinis valde sigmoideis in sectionibus transversis. Genus monotypicum. 

 Typus : Guacamaya, superba Maguire. 



Guacamaya is the vernacular name applied to the plant because the vivid 

 color of its inflorescence fancifully resembles that of the red macaw, the " guaca- 

 maya. ' ' 



Guacamaya superba Maguire, sp. nov. Figure 6. 



Herbae terrestres perennes, caudice 5-12 cm longo, vaginis in sectionibus 

 valde sigmoideis; f oliis 3-6, 8-10 dm longis, valde glaucis; vaginis anguste 

 lanceolatis, 15-30 cm longis, 2-3 cm latis conduplicatis, coriaceis, valde distichis 

 equitantibusque, marginibus anguste scariosis ad basim late dilatis, insensim in 

 laminis extendentibus, ligulo dorso oblongo-ovato, 1.5-2.0 mm longo ; laminis 

 linearibus 5-7 dm longis, 2.0-2.5 (3.0) cm latis, costa in dorso conspicua, 4-5 mm 

 lata, nervis prominulis a 0.2-0.3 mm separatis, apicibus anguste falcato-acumi- 

 natis; pedunculo solitario, 10-12 dm longo, ca. 6 mm diam., ad apicem dilatato 

 et compresso, 12-18 mm lato ; inflorescentia hemisphaerica vel subglobosa, ad 

 basim truncata ; bracteis involucralibus bivavlatis, saccato-connatis, ovato-lanceo- 

 latis, 2.5-3.0 cm latis, 4.0-4.5 cm longis, non dehiscentibus, non deflexis, ab 

 spiculis maturis expansis perforatis ruptisque ; spiculis inferioribus patentibus 

 aliquantum reflexis, ca. 2 cm longis; bracteolis ca. 20, gradatis, roseotinctis, 

 inferioribus 3-5 mm longis, scariosis, late ovatis, acutis, 3-nervatis, mediis 6-10 

 mm longis, 5-6 mm latis, late lanceolatis acutis, subscariosis, superioribus 10-15 

 mm longis, ca. 5 mm latis, lanceolatis acutis ad apicem subinduratis 5-nervatis ; 

 sepalis liberis, ca. 5-6 mm latis, 18-22 mm longis, lanceolatis acutis, ad basim 

 scariosis, 7-9 nervatis, ad apicem induratis naviculoideis ; corolla in sepalis in- 

 clusa 12-14 mm longa, petalis ad basim in tubo 3-4 mm longo connatis, sursum 

 liberis, limbis lanceolatis sagittatis ca. 8-9 mm longis, minutissime ciliolatis sub- 

 carnosis evidenter albo-flavidis ; filamentis ad basim in tubo 3-4 mm longo con- 

 natis et petalis adnatis, partibus liberis 1-2 mm longis membranaceis ; antheris 

 4-5 mm longis quadrilobatis bithecatis, ad apicem transverse biporis, ad basim 

 minute sagittatis; ovario triloculari, loculis 8-ovulatis; style 8-10 mm longo. 

 tereti, ad apicem truneato circumciliato, ciliis ca. 0.25 mm longis; seminibus 

 subprismaticis, ca. 1.5-2.0 mm longis. striatis, testa scariosa alveolata. 



Type: perennial herb to 1.5 m high, strongly sigmoid at base, lower surface 

 of leaves and peduncles glaucous, old sheaths marcescent for 2-3 dm, spathaceous 

 bracts ruptured by expanding head; spikelets spirally aranged, bracteoles red, 

 sepals flesh-colored, petals whitish, abundant, marshy savana, Sabana Venado, 

 Cano Pimichin at 140 m alt., Rio Guainia, Amazonas, Venezuela, April 14, 1953, 

 Bassett Maguire & John J. Wurdack 35634 (holotype NY). 



Paratypes: frequent in wet sabanita 1 km east Maroa, Rio Guainia, 125 m alt., April 17, 

 1953, Maguire $ Wurdack 35722; inflorescence up to 6 ft tall, Puerto Colombia (opposite 

 Maroa, Venezuela), Rio Guainia, Vaupes, Colombia, Oct 21-Nov 2, 1952, Schultes, Baker $ 

 Cabrera 18187 (NY); Maroa, Feb 17, 1942, Williams 14389 (US); Sabana Venado, Cano 

 Pimichin, Rio Guainia, Maguire $ Wurdack 35619 ; caudex twisted, outer bracteoles coral-red. 

 inner cream, sepals white, abundant^ savanna edge, Sabana Venado, Cano Pimichin, Nov 23, 

 1953, Maguire, Wurdack $ Bunting 36365, 36366 ; Maroa, Nov 25, 1953, Maguire, Wurdack $ 

 Bunting 36418. 



Distribution: Guacamaya superba is the low-altitude correlative of the like- 

 wise monotypic Kunhardtia. Thus far Guacamaya has been obtained only from 

 the region of the Rio Guainia in both Venezuela and Colombia. 



