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MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN 



[vou 10 



stances easily separable from A. pulchella, of smaller habit with few-flowered 

 (usually 2-3) spikes, and obtuse, umbose, short linear appendieulate cephalar 

 bracts. By the use of these criteria, there are included in the exsiccatae cited 

 below a number of plants which because of their shorter narrower leaves have 

 been interpreted as belonging to A. pulchella. 



Type : campis ascensus Chapada do Paranan, Minas Geraes, Brazil, Martins 

 1728 (Poarchon coerulea Mart. mss.). 



Specimens examined: BRAZIL: Diamantina, Barreto 9657 (F) : Goyaz, Gardner 3486 

 (paratype F, NY, P) ; Goyaz, Glaziou 22233 (F, P, S) ; Minas Gerais, Glaziou 20520 (F, P) ; 

 Loefgren 1477 (S) ; Goyaz, Macedo 3700 (NY, S, US) ; Minas Gerais, Martins 1728 (holotype 

 M, isotype M) ; Matto Grosso: Malme 2354 (S), 1965 (S), 1965A (S), 1965b (S) ; Para, 

 Herb. Goeldi 15061 (S, US); Minas Gerais, St. Hilaire 1914 (P) ; 878 (P) ; St. Paul, St. 

 Hilaire 1281 (P) ; Sertao d ' Amaroleite, Weddell 2723 (P) ; Goyaz, Ule 227 (US). 



11. Abolboda pulchella Humb. & Bonpl. PI. Aequin. 2: 110. pi. 114. 1813. 



Xyris vaginata Spreng. Syst. Veg. 1: 183. 1825. 

 Abolboda brasiliensis Kunth, Enum. PI. 4: 26. 1843. 



Abolboda vaginata (Spreng.) Alb. Nilss. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl. 24 1 *: 63. 1892. 

 Abolboda longifolia Malme, Bih. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl. 22: (Afd. III. No. 2): 20. pi. 2. 

 1897. 



Abolboda gracilis Huber, Bol. Mus. Goeldi 5: 323. 1909. 



Abolboda chapadensis var. pauci flora Hoehne, Comm. Link. Telegr. Estrat. Matto Grosso, 

 Annexo 5, Bot. 5: 12. 1915 (nos. 3595, 3596). 



Distribution : marshy or inundable savannas and campos, French Guiana, 

 southern Venezuela, Amazonian Colombia to Matto Grosso, Minas Gerais and 

 Goyaz, Brazil. 



Specimens examined: FRENCH GUIANA: Charvein, Savane blanche, Jan 19, 1914, E. 

 Benoist 627 (P. 2 sheets). VENEZUELA: Bolivar: south of Mount Roraima, Steyermark 

 59178 (F, NY, US); 59178a (F) ; Kavanayen, Steyermark 60301 (F, NY, US); Kavanayen, 

 Lasser 1814 (NY, US); Cerro Bolivar, Wurdack 35751 (NY). Edo. Anzoategui: Tigrito, 

 Pittier (US). Amazonas: Mapures, Spruce 3651 (NY); Puerto Zamuro, Atures, Gaillard 107 

 (P) ; Puerto Ayacucho, Williams 15944 (F, US). COLOMBIA: Vaupes: S*avanna de Yapo- 

 boda, Allen 3137 (COL). BRAZIL: Terr. Rio Branco: Boa Vista, Kuhlman 3569 (S) ; Serra 

 do Murupu, Luetzelburg 20772; Serra Tepequem, Maguire $ Maguire 40118 (NY). Edo. Para: 

 Pramlia, Ducke 3646 (S) ; Ilha do Marajo, Lima 42 (COL, US); 91 (US). Minas Gerais: 

 Diamantina, Barreto 9659 (F). Goyaz: Morro Redondo, Glaziou 22234 (P, US). Edo, Matto 

 Grosso: Source du Paraguay, Weddell s.n. (P) ; Santa Anna do Chapada, Robert in 1902 s.n. 

 (S) ; Rio Langrador, Lindman A2421 (S, 2 sheets) ; inter Sao Jeronymo et Cuyaba, Malme 

 1402 (S, holotype of A. longifolia Malme) ; Santa Anna do Chapada, Sept 20, 1902, Malme 

 s.n (S) ; Oct 4, 1902, Malme s.n. (S) ; Ariea prope Cuyaba, Malme 3262 (S, US) ; 3262A (S) ; 

 May 10, 1903, s.n. (S) ; Smith 171 (US) ; Arica, Hoehne 3603 (photo US) ; without definite 

 locality, Gardner 4024 (NY). 



With the exception of A. americana, Abolboda pulchella is the most widely 

 distributed species of the genus. To the north of the Amazon River, the popula- 

 tion is remarkably uniform. To the south of the river, however, the species is 

 quite variable, as is attested by the several names proposed for it. Smith and 

 Downs have recently 8 concluded that the entire population must come under 

 one name. I am in agreement with this position. However, I do feel that there 

 are probably represented several strong infraspecific geographic and morphologic 

 races, one of which would be the long-leafed, large-spiked specimens from the 

 vicinity of Cuyaba, Matto Grosso', formerly described by Malme as A. longifolia. 

 Such luxuriant individuals as these (i.e. specimens referable to A. longifolia) 

 form a very close connecting link with A. poarchon Seub. 



8 Jour. Wash. Acad. 44: 313. 1954. 



