18 



MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN 



[vdL. 10 



longis, setis instructis, exteriore 2-carinato; corollis eaeruleis; antheris 4-loculari- 

 bus, sagittatis; stylo 3 (2) appendicibus simplicibus ; capsulis seminibusque 



non visis. 



Type : perennial herb with dark blue flowers, frequent in open marshy places, 

 Yapacanna Savanna III at 125 m alt., Territorio Amazonas, Venezuela, Dec 31, 

 1950, Maguire, Cowan & Wurdack 30469 (holotype XY). Paratype : perennial 

 herb, infrequent in marshy area, edge Yapacana Savanna III, March 17, 1953, 

 Maguire & Wurdack 34516. 



15. Abolboda americana (Aublet) Lanjouw, Rec. Trav. Bot. Neerl. 34: 492. 1937. 



Xyris americana Aublet, Hist. PI. Gui. Frang. 1: 140. pi. 14. 1775. 

 Xyris coerulea Lam. Tab. Encyc. 1: 621. 1791. 

 'Chloerum gramineum Wittel. Herb. n. 1068 (ace. Seubert). 

 Abolboda vmberbis H.B.K. Nov. Gen. & Sp. 1: 256. 1815. 

 Abolboda inermis Link ex Steud. Noni. ed. 2. 2. 1840. 



Abolboda ? aubletii Kunth. Enum. PI. 4: 28. 1843 (nec syn. Xyris jnpicai Eich.). 

 Abolboda poeppigii Kunth, Enum. PI. 4: 27. 1843. 



Abolboda americana v;ir. vmberbis (H.B.K) Maguire, Bull. Torrey Club 75: 193. 1948. 



This species is widespread, and with Abolboda granctis, botli having nearly 

 coincident ranges, and A, pulchella, has the most extended distribution of all 

 species of the genus. It occupies sandy savannas or campos in Coastal Guiana be- 

 tween the Orinoco and Amazon, inland areas of the Rio Negro and Upper Ori- 

 noco, and is locally conspicuous on the Kaieteur savannas of Guayana. 



Throughout this great range it is variable, very probably, as suggested by 

 Lanjouw (I.e.), responsive to local ecologic conditions. 



On the Kaieteur, the species reaches the most luxuriant development, reach- 

 ing nearly 15 cm in height. But specimens from Yapacana on the Alto Orinoco 

 are nearly as large. Specimens from Zanderij Savannas, Suriname, somewhat 

 less high, have relatively shorter leaves and coarser scapes with commonly larger 

 heads. Most of the specimens from the interior Rio Negro — Rio Guainia region, 

 and from the Amazon Estuary (Campina Vigia), Para, are more diminutive. 

 Plants of this form became the types of the previously proposed names that fall 

 within the limits of the species, viz., Xyris americana Aubl., Abolboda imberbis 

 H.B.K., and A. poeppigii Kunth. I have now seen Aublet specimens at Paris 

 and the British Museum, and Poeppig specimens at numerous herbaria. 



If infraspecific taxa are to be recognized, they would then have to be derived 

 from variants such as those developed at Kaieteur and Yapacana, at Zanderij, 

 and a minor form with acutish leaves and acute bracts and sepals collected by 

 Baldwin (3558), in the Rio Vaupes. 



Specimens examined: BEITISH GUIANA: Kaieteur Savanna: Sandwith 1424 (K, NY); 

 Maguire $ Fanshawe 23116 (K, NY), 23178 (NY, F), 23188 (NY, F). SURINAME: Zan- 

 derij: Stahel 115 (NY); Maguire $ Stahel 23666 (NY); Tafelberg, Maguire 24211 (NY). 

 French Guiana: Aublet s.n. (holotype BM, isotype P, photo NY). BRAZIL: Para: Colares, 

 Poeppig 2993, type of A. poeppigii Kunth (P, F 2 sheets, M) ; Colares, Ducke 18968, topotype 

 of A. poeppigii Kunth (S, 2 sheets) ; Campina do Vigia Black 50-8317 (COL) ; Drouet 2130 

 (F); Froes 27839 (COL); Tires 4085 (COL). Amazonas, Bella Vista, Vaupes, Baldwin 3558 

 (V, COL, US). VENEZUELA: Aimrzonas: Esmeralda, Tate 299 (NY); Esmeralda, Steyer- 

 mark 57831 (F, NY) : 57847 (F, NY) : Yapacana, Maguire, Cowan $ Wurdack 30482 (NY) ; 

 Maguire, Wurdack $ Bunting 36592 (NY) ; 36612 (NY) ; Sabana Vcnado, Pimichm, Magirirt 

 4- Wurdack 35566 (NY); Maroa, Maguire $ Wurdack 35690 (NY). 



16. Abolboda killipii Lasser, Bol. Soc. Venez. Ci. Nat. 9: 179. 1944. 



Abolboda psammophila Maguire, Bull. Torrey Club 75: 193. 1948. 



Type: sabanas fangosas cerca de Rio Tonoro, Alto Paragua, Edo. Bolivar, 

 Venezuela, Au<r 20, 1943, Cardona 823 (holotype VEN, isotypes NY, F). 



