1963] 



BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLANDS PART V 



51 



Fernandez 2105 (fr. US) ; orillas del Rio Macaya, Gutierrez V. & Schultes 640 

 (fr. A). Comisaria del Vichada: Romero C. 1263 (fr. US). Intendencia del Meta : 

 Cordillera La Maearena (extremo nordeste), macizo Renjifo, faldas orientales, 

 Idrobo d- Schultes 842 (fr. F), dense forest, Central Mountains, Approach Ridge, 

 Philipson & Idrobo 1819 (fr. BM, NY). 



This species was combined in synonymy under the widespread Aniba firmula 

 (Xees) Mez by Kostermans. It is possible that the two are conspecific ; if so, 

 perhaps A. muca (R. & P.) Mez from Peru is also a manifestation of the same 

 taxon, as he has suggested. Until a detailed consideration of more material from 

 the latter area is at hand, I believe that all three should be maintained as separate 

 species. The type of A. firmula, based on Sellow's collection from lower Brazil, 

 appears, as does other material examined from this region, to be more consistently 

 pubescent in the inflorescence which is usually more robust, the leaves in general 

 being smaller, with a tendency in some instances to be broader. These represent 

 a more or less homogeneous assemblage, different in aspect from the specimens 

 from Amazonian and northern regions. The above-mentioned characteristics ob- 

 tain in the main for the Gardner and Glaziou numbers cited by Mez as well as 

 specimens of .4. laevigatum (Meissner) Mez, included by Kostermans under A. 

 firmula. With the exception of A. panurensis, these may well be conspecific with 

 the latter. 



Aniba simulans C. K. Allen, sp. nov. Fig. 32. 



Arbor ad 15-20 m alt., gemmis magnis ovoideis dense adpresseque ferrugineo- 

 tomentosis, ramulis teretibus fulvo-pubescentibus, mox glabris griseis conspicue 

 cicatricibus et corticosis. Folia verticillata vel subverticillata, petiolis crassis 

 fulvo-pubescentibus mox glabris griseis corticosis, ad basim intumescentibus, ad 

 12 mm longis, ad basim 2-3 mm latis. laminis supra glabris subtus glabrescentibus. 

 ellipticis vel obovato-ellipticis, (7-) 10-15 (-18) cm longis et (2.8-) 4-5 (-5.5) 

 cm latis. margine recurvatis, ad basim attenuatis saepe leviter decurrentibus, ad 

 apicem acutis vel apiculato-acuminatis, acumine aliquando ad 2 cm longo, pen- 

 ninerviis, costa supra leviter subtus conspicue elevata et pubescenti, nervis 

 10-paribus intus marginibus confluentibus supra inconspicuis subtus conspicue 

 elevatis et pubescentibus. ad angulo 67-55° divergentibus. Inflorescentia axillaris 

 subterminalisque, dense pallideque ferrugineo-pubescens, paniculata, aliquantum 

 lato-racemosa, pedunculo 2-4 cm longo, (6-) 10-14 cm longo, rachis robustis 

 ± curvatis. Flores (post anthesin) ad 3.5 mm longi, fulvo-pubescentes, pedicellis 

 ad 1 mm longis ; perianthio urceolato, lobis late ovatis vel subspathulatis concavis, 

 ad 1—1,2 mm longis, tubo quam lobis longiore ; staminibus fertilibus pubescenti- 

 bus, ad 0.8 mm longis, ser I & II antheris subrotundatis, locellis parvis apicali- 

 introrsis, connectivo anguste obtuse producto, filamentis ± crassis antheris sub- 

 aequalibus, ser III antheris subrotundatis, locellis parvis extrorsis, ad 0.4 mm 

 longis, filamentis ± crassis biglandulosis, glandulis subsessilibus, ser IV O; 

 gynoecio ad 2 mm longo, ovario ± ovoideo ad summam pubescenti, quam stylo 

 gracili pubescenti duplo longiore, stigmate parvo plano-triangulari. Infructes- 

 centia ramulis rigidis quam inflorescentia aliquantum incrassatior cortice rachidis 

 cortice ramulorum simulanti. Fructus (separatus) caeruleus, fide coll., ad 1.5 X 1 

 cm, ellipsoideus vel obovoideus, minute apiculatus. cupula urceolata glabra 

 minute verruculosa, ad 7 mm longa, 8 mm diam et 5 mm alt., pedicello brevi- 

 incrassato. 



Vernacular names. Laurel amarillo (Williams) ; Tau-wan-yek (Steyermark) . 



