22 MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN [VOL. 10 



asymmetricis, sublinearibus, acutis, 9 mm latis, minute sulcatis, extus fere rec- 

 tis, intus eurvatis, basi contractis, margine paulo inerassatis ; scapo 50-70 em 

 alto, apice paulo eomplanato, ecostato, alibi subtereti multicostatoque, glabro; 

 vagina scapi quam foliis multo brevioribus, breviter laminata ; spiea anguste 

 obovoidea, 22 mm longa, multiflora ; bracteis decussatis, atris, area dorsali ca- 

 rentibus, apice brevissime carinatis, sterilibus multis, valde reductis, alteris 

 ellipticis, obtusis, supremis quam sepalis paulo brevioribus; sepalis lateralibus 

 liberis, equilateralibus, linearibus, 12 mm longis, anguste carinatis, glabris lae- 

 vibusque; placentis basilaribus. 



Type. Flowers yellow, abundant in west escarpment savanna, 4-8 km south 

 of Cumbre Camp, alt. 1850-1900 m, Cerro de la Neblina, Rio Yatua, 15 Jan 

 1954, Amazonas, Venezuela, B. Maguire, J. J. ^Yurdack & G. S. Bunting 37312 

 (holotype NY, isotype US). Paratype. Low bush slopes near Cumbre Camp, alt. 

 1800 m, 4 Jan 1954, 37051. 



Distribution. Known only from the type locality. 



21. Xyris bicephala Gleason, Brittonia 3: 155. 1939. 



Type. Auyan-tepui, alt. 2200 m, Gran Sabana, Venezuela, Tate 1114 (NY). 



Distribution. Frequent in moist places in savannas from alt. 1000 m to higher 

 elevations in the mountains of the Gran Sabana. Venezuela, and the Pakaraima 

 Mountains of British Guiana. 



Sometimes the peduncles of this species are monocephalous. 



22. Xyris roraimae Malme in Pilger, Xotizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 6: 117. 1914. 



Type. Auf den unteren Campos, 1700 m ii M., Jan 1910. Roraima [Vene- 

 zuela], Vie 8546 (isotype US). 



Distribution. Known only by the type from Mt. Roraima f and Maguire 33646 

 from Ilu-tepin, Bolivar. Venezuela, the northernmost member of the Roraima 

 chain. 



23. Xyris albescens Steyermark, Fieldiana Bot. 28(1) : 105. /. 16, A, B. 1951. 



Type. Ptari-tepui, Gran Sabana, Bolivar. Venezuela, alt. 2000 m, Steyer- 

 mark 59734 (isotype NY). 



Distribution. Known only by the type collection. 



Doubtfully distinct from X. deeussata. 

 if 



24. Xyris setigera Oliver. Trans. Linn. Soc. II. Bot. 2: 285. pi. 50 A, f. 1-8. 



1887. 



Type. Roraima [Venezuela], alt. 4000 ft, im Thurn 62 (K). 



Distribution. Generally distributed in sandy moist savannas, alt. 1000-2000 

 m, Gran Sabana, Venezuela, and the contiguous British Guiana Pakaraimas. 



A strongly marked but somewhat variable plant ; at low altitudes the leaves 

 are apt to be short, usually 5-10 cm long; at higher altitudes (or wetter places) 

 the leaves are characteristically 15-20 cm long. Plants of this habit represent 

 the var. elongata Steyermark, Fieldiana Bot. 28(1) : 112. 1951. 



25. Xyris culmenicola Steyermark, Fieldiana Bot. 28(1): 108. 1951. 



Type. Brocchinia Hills, alt. 1700-1980 m, Cerro Duida, Amazonas, Venezuela, 

 Steyermark 58198 (isotype NY) ; Steyermark 58233 (paratype NY, US). 



