1963] 



BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLANDS PART V 



SI 



The great variation possible in a single taxon growing in savanna is extremely 

 well exemplified by the above species. According to the collectors of The New 

 York Botanical Garden, Maguire and vVurdack, various areas in and bordering 

 the savannas give rise to characteristics that, without a series of plants from 

 these differing areas for comparison, might easily lead the herbarium botanist 

 to believe that several taxa were involved. The difference in size, texture, and 

 reticulation of the leaves is not accompanied by correspondingly striking differ- 

 ences in fruit or flower structures. In general, the leaves are smaller and more 

 coriaceous on plants in the open savanna than those of plants in more protected 

 areas or along the shaded rivers. Minor differences in length of style, shape of 

 ovary, and presence or absence of staminodia have been noted, but none are 

 consistent for the varying habitats and so do not warrant, on the basis of present 

 material, the erection of a series of varieties typifying them. Mature fruits of 

 the species have not hitherto been noted. 



The original description of 0. csmcraldana states that pistillate flowers were 

 not seen. The species seemingly is hermaphrodite. Very probably 0. ceanothifolia 

 (Nees) Mez belongs here with this complex, reported as hermaphrodite, based 

 on Martius' specimen from Brazil, "Alto Amazonae in silvis ad flumen Japura 

 pr. Porto des Miranhos et prov. Para in silvis ad flumen Amazonas." Only a 

 photograph of the type from Japura is at hand, hence attention is merely drawn 

 to the possibility that these taxa may be conspecific with the numbers cited from 

 Venezuela and Colombia. Examination of Martius' type materials may entail a 

 re-evaluation of the current collections and a subsequent change of nomenclature. 



Ocotea wurdackiana (\ K. Allen, sp. nov. Fig. 45. 



Arbor ad 4 m alta, gemmis attenuato-acutis griseo-sericeis, ramulis robustis 

 cicatricosis griseis ad apicem folia dense aggregata ferentibus, juventute minute 

 griseo-pubescentibus mox glabris. Folia spiralia, chartaceo-coriacea, petiolis satis 

 robustis ad 10 mm longis atratis, laminis nitidis, utrinque glabris, juventute 

 subsericeis, supra atro-virentibus subtus argenteis, obovatis, (2.5-) 5.5-8 cm 

 longis et (1.5—) 2.5-3 cm latis, revolutis, penninerviis, costa nervisque supra 

 pallide viridibus, costa subtus pallide lutea, supra ± plana subtus prominenter 

 conspicueque elevata, nerviis 6-12-paribus, ad angulo fere 90° divergentibus ad 

 marginem supra conspicue prominenterque elevatis, subtus obseuris, rete venu- 

 larum supra laxe prominenterque elevato subtus obscuro. Inflorescentia axillaris, 

 floribus ad apicem rhachidis laxe congestis, brevis, ad 4 cm longa, pauciflora, a 

 foliis ± obscurata. Flores hermaphroditi, ad 5 mm longi, pedicellati, pallide 

 virides fide coll., perianthio campanulato, gracili, lobis ovatis obtusis, ad 1.5 mm 

 longis, marginibus albidis, tubo ad 1 mm longo; staminibus ser I & II ad 1.2 

 mm longis, antheris ovato-truncatis quam filamentis brevibus duplo longioribus, 

 ser III subrectangularibus bigiandulosis, glandulis quam filamentis magnis 

 longioribus, ser IV ad 0.7 mm longis cordato-ovatis quam stipitibus gracilibus 

 pubescentibus longioribus; gynoecio glabro ad 2 mm longo, ovario ellipsoideo 

 in stylum subaequalem attenuato ; stigmate subtriangulari plus minusve incon- 

 spicuo. Infructescentia aliquantum incrassata ad 6 cm longa. Fruetus viridis, 

 oblongus, nitidus, apiculatus, ad 7 X 5 mm, cupula rugosa, vadissima, late 

 obconico pedicello mergenta, ±6 mm longo ad marginem 5 mm diam. 



Type. Tree 2.5-4 m, leaves chartaceous, revolute, erect, closely crowded, deep 

 green above with pale green nerves, silvery below with prominent pale yellow 

 midrib, peduncle pale green, erect, flowers pale green, the perianth with whitish 



