1958] 



THE BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLAND PART III 



31 



altitudes, Stegolepis is confined to the Roraima Sediments at relatively high 

 (400-2000 m) elevations. Taxonomie consideration of this rather complex genus 

 is to be presented in a forthcoming issue of the Memoirs. 



5. Epiphyton Maguire, gen. nov. 



Scapi numerosi axillares ; capitibus ebracteatis, plurifloris ; petalis lanceolatis, 

 ad basim connatis; antheris bithecatis, ad apices duobus poris confluentibus de- 

 hiscentibus; ovario 3-loculari, loculis pluriovulatis, endocarpello indurato, exo- 

 carpello separato ; seminibus depressis oblongis discif ormibus, mediis apiculatis, 

 testa nigra alveolata. 



Herbae perennes epiplrytieae rhizomate crasso elongato ; vaginis foliorum latis 

 distichis, submembraneis ; laminis chartaceis. 



Typus: Epiphyton allenii (Steyerm.) Maguire. 



Key to the Species of Epiphyton 



1. Peduncles subfiliform, 0.5-0.6 mm wide; heads 1-2 (3) -flowered; spikelets 11-12 mm 

 long; anthers 3 mm long; seed 1.0-1.5 mm in diameter; under leaf -surf ace merely 

 prominulously 12-14-nerved ; plants of Panama. 1. E. allenii. 



1. Peduncles relatively coarse, 1.0-1.4 mm wide; heads (3) 4-7 -flowered; spikelets 8-9 

 mm long; anthers 2 mm long; under leaf -surf ace rather prominently 18-22-nerved ; 

 plants of Colombia. 2. E. micranthera. 



1. Epiphyton allenii (Steyerm.) Maguire, comb. nov. 

 Stegolepis allenii Steyermark, Field Mus. Publ. Bot. 22: 325. 1940. 



Type : epiphytic, growing with orchids and ferns in tops of trees 10 m tall, 

 hills north of El Valle de Anton, alt. 1000 m, prov. Code, Panama, June 23, 1940, 

 Paul H. Allen 2153 (F, isotype MO). 



Additional specimen: Epiphytic herb resembling plants of Iris germanica, crest of Cerro 

 Pajita, El Valle- de Anton, alt. 1100 m, Prov. Code, Sept. 28, 1946, Allen 3748 (MO). 



The species is known only by the two cited specimens. 



2. Epiphyton micranthera Maguire, sp. nov. 



Herbae perennes epiphyticae ; foliis 5-7, 4-6 dm longis, vaginis valde equi- 

 tantibus distichisque, in uno piano dispositis, submembranaceis vel tenuiter char- 

 taceis conduplicatis semilanceolatis, 10-12 cm longis, nervis prominulis, margini- 

 bus subscariosis, apice contracto, ligulo obsoleto; laminis chartaceis vel sub- 

 coriaceis, 30-45 cm longis, 18-26 mm latis, subtus aliquantum prominenter 18-22- 

 nervatis, apice breviacuminato falcato; pedunculis 6-8 axillaribus, 1.0-1.5 mm 

 crassis, 20-30 cm longis, quadrangularibus vel quadrilobatis, apice sursum dila- 

 tato; bracteis 2, brevissimis semiannularibus, scariosomarginatis, ca. 0.5 mm 

 longis; spiculis (3) 4-7, sessilibus, 8-9 mm longis; bracteolis 12-14, valde grada- 

 tis subacutis, inferioribus ovatis asymmetricis, 1.5 mm longis, 1.25 mm latis, 

 mediis ca. 4.5 mm longis, 1-nervatis vel enervatis, interioribus oblongo-lanceolatis, 

 ca. 6.5 mm longis, 2.5 mm latis, 3-nervatis; sepalis 7-8 mm longis, 3 mm latis, 

 induratis, lanceolatis acutis, 5-nervatis, basi per 1.5-2.0 mm connatis, membra- 

 naceis; petalis anguste lanceolatis attenuato-acuminatis, 10-12 mm longis, 1.0-1.5 

 mm latis, basi 1-2 mm (immaturis) connatis; fllamentis ca. 6 mm longis ad basim 

 corollae 2 mm adnatis; antheris ca. 1.8 mm longis bithecatis transverse ad apicem 

 biporis; ovario triloculari indurato, ca. 6 mm longo, truncate subrhomboideo, 

 endocarpello a exocarpello separato ; loculis pluriovulatis ; seminibus non visis. 



Type : epiphyte, leaves rather thick, deep green, flowers yellow, alt. 70 m, 



