1961] 



BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLANDS — PART IV (2) 



69 



Pithecellobium ferrugineum Benth. 



BRAZIL: Rio Branco: occasional on open slopes of Serra Sabang, alt. 1370 m; small 

 tree 4-8 m; fls bright red; 16-18 Dec 1955, Maguire 4' Maguire 40325. 



This collection matches quite well a photograph of Schomburgk 994 which 

 in most respects represents this species very well. Both collections have more 

 pairs of pinnae and leaflets than are recorded in the original description. How- 

 ever, in the latter, Bentham considers his material as "only small and im- 

 perfect"; furthermore, the leaf difference is easily within the range of varia- 

 tion in number of parts. This is the first report of the species since the type 

 collection and the first report for Brazil. 



Pithecellobium levelii Cowan, sp. now Fig. 48. 



Arbor 8-10 m alta, ramulis foliisque glabris, stipulis caducis, non visis. 

 Petiolus (15-) 25-34 mm longus, pinnis unijugatis, pinnarum rhachi 18-31 mm 

 longa, foliolis unijugatis. petiolulis 4-6 mm longis, laminis coriaceis, ealloso- 

 marginatis, ellipticis ad ovato-ellipticas, 8-9.5 cm longis, 3.5-4.5 cm latis, ad 

 basim acntis, ad apicem obtuse acuminatis, costa venis primariisque faciebus 

 ambobus plus minusve salientibus. Inflorescentiae terminates, racemiformes, 

 capitulis solitariis vel fasciculatis, capitulorum pedunculo 20-37 mm longo, 

 minute striguloso, floribus sessilibus. Calycis tubus 2-2.5 mm longus, minuto- 

 strigulosus, lobis 0.5-0.7 mm longis, triangularibus, mmuto-strigulosis ; corolla 

 alba, minute strigulosa, tubo 10-11 mm longo, lobis 3-3.5 mm longis, 1-2 mm 

 latis, lanceolatis, acntis. Pilamenta glabra, ea. 40 mm longa, tubo haud vel 

 breviter exserto. Ovarium minute strigulosum, style glabro. Fructus ignotus. 



VENEZUELA: Amazonas: Cano Cupaven, opposite mouth of Rio Atabapo, alt. 150 m; 

 tree 10 m; fls" white ; 11 May 1954, J. Silverio Level 73 (holotype, US No. 2281812); occa- 

 sional along Rio Orinoco just about mouth of Rio Atabapo, alt. 125 m; tree 8 m; fls white; 

 1 Jun 1959, WurdacTc $ Adderley 42730. 



After so many exploratory parties have passed through this region of 

 Venezuela, it seems proportionately less likely that new speeies would still be 

 collected along the principal river routes. The collector of the type material, 

 however, is a particularly acute observer, with an unexcelled "eye" for what 

 we generally refer to as specific differences. The several years of association 

 with the expeditions of Maguire et al. have developed him as an outstandingly 

 capable botanical collector. It is, therefore, a pleasure to name this very distinc- 

 tive new species for him. 



The relationships between P. levelii and other species of the genus (sensu 

 lato) are not at all clear. It differs from all others either in the number of leaflets 

 and/or the type of inflorescence. 



Pithecellobium villiferum Ducke. 



VENEZUELA: Amazonas: along Rio Guainia between Comunidad and Santa Rita, alt. 

 120 m; tree 6 m; fls white; 8 Jul 1959, WurdacTc # Adderley 43351. 



The type locality, along the upper Rio Negro of northern Brazil, is in the 

 southern part of the physiographic province in which the above cited collection 

 was made, so it is not an unexpected first report for Venezuela. Since it has 

 also been reported from Tafelberg in the interior of Suriname, it may be a 

 more widely ranging species than earlier suspected. 



