1961] 



BOTANY OF THE GUAYAXA HIGHLANDS PART IV (2) 



63 



(pressed) ; lobes broadly oval, rounded at the apex, 3 em long, almost as broad. 

 Anthers agglutinated to the stigma, oblong, sagittate, glabrous. 4.3 mm long, 2 

 mm wide, apieulate at the apex, the basal lobes blunt. Ovary glabrous, narrowed 

 into the style ; nectary annular, lightly 5-lobulate, about half the length of the 

 ovary, 0.7 mm high. 



VENEZUELA : Amazonas: along Rio Atabapo between Manacal and Guarinume, alt. 

 125 m; vine climbing 2 m, flowers yellow; 12 Jun 1959, J. J. TTardack 4' L. S. Adderley 

 42993 (holotype, unieate, XY). 



M. obtusifolia belongs in the subgen. Exothostemon in Woodson's monograph 

 (1933). It is distinctive in its small, glabrous, apically rounded leaves pale 

 beneath and faintly nerved. The stem is terete and much more slender than that 

 of M. turgida Woodson and the habit is definitely climbing. In the field M. obtu- 

 sifolia was confused with Odontadenia glauca Woodson, which was collected on 

 the same trip. The two are rather similar in superficial appearance and habit. 



Microplumeria anomala var. parvifolia Monachino. var. nov. 



Haec varietas a var. anomala foliis parvioribus 3-7 cm longis 1.5-2.7 cm 

 latis recedit. 



Leaves smaller than those of var. anomala (Muell.-Arg.) Mgf., 3-7 cm long, 

 1.5-2.7 cm wide, paler beneath than above, the principal lateral nerves about 12 

 pairs (6-13) ; petiole very short. The corolla-tube is longer than those of the 

 few available specimens of the typical variety, about 7 mm long. 



VENEZUELA: Bolivar: Ciudad Bolivar, abundante, alrededore> laguna de Los Francos, 

 ;ilt. ± 80 m; arbusto de flores verdosas, no llamativas, latex bianco, muy escaso ; Apr 1954, 

 L. Ari.steguieta 2162 (holotype, NY). 



.1/. anomala var. parvifolia apparently does not differ from the typical 

 variety (also known from Edo. Bolivar) in any essential flower or fruit char- 

 acter. 



Prestonia arborescens Monaehino. sp. qov. Fig. 43 E-M. 



Arbor parva ; foliis oppositis subsessilibus glabris valde coriaceis ellipticis 

 useque ad oblanceolatos. 8-12 cm longis, 2-5.5 cm latis, subtus glaucis, ad apicem 

 obtusis, ad basim angustatis; venis lateralibus 5-8 jugis; inflorescentiis sub- 

 umbellatis. pedunculo 5-10 cm longo, pedicellis 2.5-6 cm longis; sepalibus ovatis, 

 1.7-3.3 mm longis, 2.3-3 mm latis, ad basim gibbosis; squamellis oppositisepalibus 

 latis. a" apicem denticulatis ; tubo corollae 1 cm longo, extus glabro, intus piloso ; 

 appendicibus epistaminalibus 0.8 mm longis, annulo faucis aequantibus ; antheris 

 exsertis pilosis; filamentis prope summum tubi corollae insertis; ovario glabro; 

 nectariis 5 crassis altitudine ovario subaequantibus. 



Tree, 5-6 cm tall, the branchlets olivaceous brown, terete, the young parts 

 puberulent-hispidulous. slightly roughish to the touch. Axillary and inter- 

 petiolar glands small, deltoid. Leaves opposite, subsessile, the petiole less than 

 3 mm long ; blades becoming thickly coriaceous, glabrous, dull, glaucous-pallid 

 beneath, elliptic to oblanceolate, (5-) 8-12 cm long, 2-5.5 cm wide, the base nar- 

 rowed into the petiole, the apex obtuse or with a short acumen, apieulate. the 

 margins revolute. the principal lateral nerves slightly arcuate, submarginally 

 connected, 5-8 pairs. 1-2 cm apart near the middle of the leaf, the reticulation 

 obscure. Inflorescences soon appearing axillary, subumbellate. many-flowered, 

 usually surpassing the subtending leaf, the peduncles 5-10 cm long, the pedicels 

 slender and long, 2.5-6 cm long, puberulent. Sepals puberulent without, ovate, 

 1.7-3.3 mm long, 2.3-3 mm wide, gibbous at the base, obtuse at the apex, their 



