1960] 



TAXONOMIC RELATIONSHIPS OF DIOMMA 



(53 



and from the one complete, mature one in that envelope. The atypical fruit is 

 probably from another plant and in fact is similar to the fruits of 8. fruticosa. 



3. Spathelia chimantaensis Cowan and Brizicky, sp. no v. Fig*. 1, g-i. 



Arbor 5-10 m alta, haud ramificata, foliis trunci ad summum congestis, apice 

 juvenili dense puberulo, glabrescenti. Petioli 10-13 cm longi, puberuli sed 

 glabrescentes, basim versus canaliculati sed apicem versus plani, foliorum lamina 

 ca. elliptica, rhachi 30-45 cm longa. Foliola ca. 25-40, alterna ad subopposita, 

 coriacea, petiolulis 3-4 mm longis; laminae leviter arcuatae, mediales 12 cm 

 longae, 3.5-4 cm latae, oblongae vel oblongo-ellipticae, ad basim inaequilaterales, 

 latere superiore rotundato, latere inferiore acuto, apicaliter obtuse acutae, supra 

 glabrae, infra leviter ad costam puberulae. Inflorescentiae terminales, pani- 

 culatae, ad 1 m long-ae, axibus puberulis, bracteis persistentibus, foliaceis, 

 stipitatis, 9^15 mm longis, bracteolis minutis, pedicellis 1.5-2.5 mm longis, 

 puberulis et minutissime stellato-pubescentibus. Sepala 1.5-1.7 mm longa, 1-1.2 

 mm lata, ovalia, minute ciliolata ; petala 5.5-6 mm longa, 2.5 mm lata, concava, 

 elliptico-obovata, ad basim cuneata, glabra. Staminorum fllamenta (in floribus 

 masculinis) 4-4.7 mm longis, parte basali alata, alis ca. 2 mm longis, ad apicem 

 bidentatis, ciliolatis, plus minusve villosulis ; ovarium in floribus masculis parvum, 

 rudimentarium gynophorium breve, crassum, subcylindricum vel subglobosum, 

 1-1.5 mm diametro, dense puberulum insidens, in floribus femineis ; nondum ex- 

 pansis) late ovoideum, lateraliter compressum, glabrum, 1.8-2.2 mm longum et 

 1.2-1.8 mm latum in basi extrema brevi paulo attenuata nectaria 4 (5?), parce 

 puberula gerens; stigma in floribus femineis majusculum, bilobum, lobis capitatis; 

 stylus ca. 0.3-0.4 mm longus. Fructus oblatus, glaber, 2.5-3 cm longus, 4-4.3 cm 

 latus, ad pedicellum valde cordatus, ad apicem acutus, corpore late ovato. alis 

 coriaceis. 



VENEZUELA: Bolivar: Chimanta Massif, Torono-tepui ; ''tree 5-6 m, occasional. Calyx 

 brick with pale green; petals White; filaments greenish white; anther golden; ovary dull madder 

 with pale green stellate hairs. South-facing forested slopes above valley of South Cano, on 

 summit," alt. 1955-2090 m, 23 Feb 1955, Julian A. SteyermarTc 4' John J. Wurdacl: 1099 

 (holotype, NY) ; same data and collectors 938 (paratypes, NY, US) ; Chimanta Massif, 

 Apacara-tepui, 19 June 1953, SteyermarTc 75699 (paratypes, F, NY). 



The differences that separate this species from 8. neblinaensis are not striking, 

 with the exception of the fruiting ones: the fruits are quite dissimilar in size, 

 shape, and vestiture. The two species also differ in size and shape of leaflets. 



4. Spathelia neblinaensis Cowan & Brizicky, sp. no v. Fig. 1, e-f. 



A 8. chiman-taensi rhachi longiore (47-57 cm), foliolis medialibus longioribus 

 et angustioribus (14 cm longis, 3-3.3 cm latis), oblongo-lanceolatis, ad apicem 

 arcuato-acuminatis, bracteis primariis caducis, petalis latioribus (4 mm), fruc.tu 

 obovato-oblato, 2 cm longo, 3 mm lato, dense puberulo, apicaliter truncato differt. 

 Flores femineos non vidimus. 



VENEZUELA: Amazonas: Cerro de la Neblina, Bio Yatua ; ' ' Tree 7 m. Fruit green. 

 Occasional in Bonnetia scrub forest at northwest head of Canon Grande, alt. 2000 m, summit," 

 8-9 Dec 1957, Bassett Maguire, John J. Wurdack $ Celia K. Maguire 42329 (holotype, US No. 

 2267446-2267447); same data and collectors 42315 (paratypes, NY, US). 



In flower the two new species are not easily separable ; only the larg-er, some- 

 what differently shaped leaflets and the longer leaf rachises are reliable char- 

 acters at this stage. Fruiting specimens, however, are easily distinguished by 

 the differences in size, shape, and vestiture of the fruits. 



