1958] 



THE BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLAND PART III 



IT) 



spikes, frequent, sabanita 1 km east Maroa at 125 m alt., April 16, 1953, Maguire <$r Wurdack 

 35688; herb with pale blue flowers, sabanita, Maroa, Nov 25, 1953, Maguire, Wurdack $ 

 Bunting 36419. 



8. Abolboda bella Maguire, sp. nov. Figure 2. 



Herbae perennes rhizomatibus subligneis horizontalibus 2-5 cm longis, 4-5 

 mm diam. ; foliis vulgo 8-12, basilaribus, linearibus, (3) 6-15 em longis, 1.5-4.0 

 mm latis, marginibus integris subhyalinis, eostatis, 3-5-nervatis, abrupte mu- 

 cronulatis, basi expansa vaginata ; scapis solitariis laevibus, 6-10 cm longis, ca. 

 1 mm diam., 1 jugo bractearum basilarium subtento, et sursum 1 jugo sub- 

 appositarum amplectantium bractearum, ca. 2 cm longarum acuminatarum, 

 spica subtenta; spicis 1.5-2.0 cm longis, obpyriformibus 3-5-floris; bracteis 

 cephalaribus sterilibus vulgo 2, lanciacuminatis, 15-18 mm, costa promiuenti 

 mucronulata, bracteis fertilibus lanciacuminatis, 12-15 mm longis; sepalis 2, 

 acute carinatis enervatis induratis aliquantnm recurvatis. 16-20 mm long-is, lanci- 

 acuminatis marginibus late scariosis ; corollis caeruleis, essentialiter regularibus, 

 2.2-2.5 cm longis, tubo 1.2-1.5 cm longo, lobis late obovatis; antheris sagittatis, 

 ca. 2.5 mm longis; granis pollinis sparse spinosis obovato-sphaeroideis, 120-140 /x 

 diam.. sporodermide 10 ^ crassa. s])inis obtuse conicis, ca. 5 \x longis; ovario ob- 

 longo, ad apicem papilloso, trigonali 3-loculari ; stylo trigonali facie ipso sulcato, 

 appendicibus 3 linearibus gibberoso-saccatis reflexis, quoque cum adunculo ; stig- 

 mate erateriformi aliquantnm gibberoso profunde fimbriato ; causula semini- 

 busque ignotis. 



Type : small herbaceous perennial. 15 cm or less high, flowers dark clear blue; 

 infrequent in marshy area, Yapacana Savanna TIT, Territorio Amazonas, Vene- 

 zuela, at 125 m alt., March 17. 1053, Mamire <& ^Yurdac'k 34514 (holotype NY). 



Abolboda bella is obviously most closely related to A. abbreviata Malme, 

 known only by the type collection Ditckc 11895 (see below). 



The two species may be contrasted as follows: 



A. abbreviata 



Plant cespitose, 6-8 cm high, pluriscapose 

 (i-5). 



Spikes 1 cm long. 



Cephalar bracts broadly lanceolate, 7-8 mm 

 long. 



Sepals 9-10 mm long. 



A. bella 



Plant not cespitose, 10-15 cm high, unisca- 

 pose. 



Spikes 1.5-2.0 cm long. 



Cephalar bracts lance-attenuate, 15-18 mm 

 long. 



Sepals 16-20 mm long. 



9. Abolboda abbreviata Malme, Ark. Bot. 19 13 : 5. 1925. 



Known only by the type collection: Campos do Ariramba (in regione medii 

 num. Trombetas, civ. Para), locis uliginosis, flores pulchre azures, July 5, 1912, 

 Ducke 11895 (holotype S, isotype S, NY, US). 



10. Abolboda poarchon Seubert in Mart. PL Bras. 3 1 : 223. 1871. 

 A. poarchon var. exalt ata Malme, nomen. 



A. chapadensis Hoehne, Comm. Link. Telegr. Estrat. Matto Grosso, Annexo 5, Bot. pt. 5: 

 11. pi. 80, f. 2. 1915. 



A. poarchon is a variable species, undoubtedly having within it a number of 

 segregate populations of greater or lesser distinctness. It is most closely related 

 to A. pulchella, and indeed merges with this species. Because of its larger habit, 

 more numerous flowers, and acute mucronate cephalar bracts, it is in most in- 



