1963] 



BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLANDS — PART V 



33 



25-34 em alto, 1—1.5 mm diametro, subtereti, plus minusve ruguloso ; vagina scapi 

 foliaeea, longe laminata ; spica ex sicco obovoidea, 11-12 mm longa, submultiflora ; 

 braeteis decussatis, elliptieis, subaeutis, integris, area dorsali maxima carinata 

 rugosa praeditis, basilaribus sterilibus multis, valde reductis, alteris sepala 

 superantibus ; sepalis lateralibus liberis, aequilateralibus, linearibus, obtusis, 5.5 

 mm longis, late carinatis, ad apicem versus sparse ciliatis; placentis basilaribus. 



Type. Flowers yellow, frequent, sabanita along Cano Pimichin on right bank 

 1 km above Pimiehm, Rio Guainia, alt. 140 m, 24 Nov 1953, Amazonas, Venezuela, 

 H. Maguire & J. J. Wurdack 36383 (holotype NY, isotype US). Paratype. 

 Flowers yellow, frequent, Savanna III, northwest base of Cerro Yapacana, alt. 

 150 m, 17 Mar 1953, Amazonas, Venezuela, Maguire d° Wurdack 34572. 



Distribution. Known only by the cited specimens. 



60. Xyris contracta Maguire & Smith, sp. nov. Fig. 17, A-F. 



Herbae subacaules, cespitosae ; foliis lineari-ensiformibus, ad 18 cm longis, 

 glabris ; vaginis 2 cm longis, apiee late ligulatis et quam laminis abrupte latior- 

 ibus, ad basin versus gradatim ampliatis, laevibus, atro-castaneis, lucidis ; laminis 

 tortuosis, acuminatis, 1-1.5 mm latis, laevibus, margine haud incrassatis ; scapo 

 20-26 cm alto, 1 mm diametro, subtereti, ecostato, laeve ; vagina scapi foliaeea, 

 longe laminata ; spica obovoidea, 14 mm longa, submultiflora ; braeteis decussatis, 

 elliptieis, late rotundatis. apice minutissime fimbriato excepto integris, area 

 dorsali parva carinata praeditis, basilaribus sterilibus multis, valde reductis, 

 alteris sepala fere aequantibus ; sepalo anteriore saccato, mox deciduo ; sepalis 

 lateralibus liberis, aequilateralibus, linearibus, obtusis, 9 mm longis, late carinatis, 

 glabris ; placentis basilaribus. 



Type. Flowers yellow, infrequent in stream bed. Upper Canon Grande, alt. 

 1900 m, Cerro de la Neblina, Rio Yatua, 11 Dec 1957, Amazonas, Venezuela, 

 B. Maguire, J. J. Wurdack & C. K. Maguire 42359 (holotype NY, isotype US). 



Distribution. Known only by the type collection. 



61. Xyris frondosa Maguire & Smith, sp. nov. Fig. 18, A-E. 



Herbae caulescentes, ramosae ; foliis lineari-ensiformibus, laminam frondosam 

 formantibus, 12-20 cm longis; vaginis 3-4 cm longis, apice anguste ligulatis et 

 quam laminis paulo latioribus, ad basin versus gradatim ampliatis, glabris, 

 laevibus, atro-castaneis. lucidis ; laminis obtusis, 1.5-2 mm latis, sulcatis, anguste 

 atro-marginatis, ciliatis, alibi glabris ; scapo 12-28 cm alto, 0.5-0.8 mm diametro, 

 subtereti, laevi ; vagina scapi eis foliorum simili, brevissime laminata ; spica 

 obovoidea, 7-9 mm longa, pauciflora ; braeteis elliptieis, late rotundatis, integris, 

 apice minutissime albo-ciliatis, area dorsali angusta praeditis, basilaribus paulo 

 reductis, alteris sepala bene superantibus ; sepalis lateralibus liberis, paulo in- 

 aequilateralibus, elliptieis, obtusis, 4 mm longis, late carinatis, brevissime ciliatis : 

 placentis basilaribus. 



Type. Older leaves twisted, petals 4 mm long, 4 mm broad, frequent in scrub 

 forest near Summit Camp, alt. 1925 m, Central Section, Chimanta Massif, 2 Feb 

 1955, Bolivar, Venezuela, J. A. Steyermark & J. J. Wurdack 346 (holotype NY, 

 isotype US). Paratypes. Cerro Guaiquinima, Alto Rio Paragua, Bolivar, Ven- 

 ezuela, Oct 1943, F. Cardona 946 in part (NY, US) ; bog plant with yellow 

 flowers, the most abundant of all savanna plants, open savannas 1 km south of 

 Cumbre Camp, alt. 1800 m, 29 Dec 1951, B. Maguire 32798a. 



Distribution. Known only by the cited collections. 



