1963] 



BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLANDS PART V 



87 



Ocotea opifera Martius in Buchner, Repert. 1830 (35) : 179. 1830. Mez, Jahrb. 

 Bot. Gart. Berlin 5 : 291. 1889. 



Type. "Alto Amazonas et Para in sylvis secus flumina Rio Negro et Amazonas, 

 Martius s. n." (syntypes?, fl. fr. M). 



Distribution. Large-leaved shrub or tree, with dioecious flowers growing in 

 Brazil and Venezuela, along the Amazon, Rio Negro, and Rio Madeira and their 

 tributaries, at comparatively low altitudes. VENEZUELA. Amazonas : occasional 

 along Rio Siapa between Raudal Gallineta and Salto Gallineta (about 110-130 

 river km from mouth), Wurdack & Adderley 43581 (J fl. NY). BRAZIL. 

 Amazonas: terra firme, Tabatinga, Murga Pires & Black 966 (^ fl. GH), 

 Parintins, 1148 (J 1 fl. GH) . 



Since the original publication is not available, nor either of the syntypes, 

 I have had necessarily to depend on Mez' description and his cited Riedel 1303 

 (fl. NY), for a concept of the species. 



The following numbers bear a resemblance to the species, though they do not 

 entirely agree in every respect: Steyermark & Wurdack 1249 (y. fr. NY), from 

 Chimanta Massif, and Wurdack d' Guppy 69 fl. NY) from Hato La Vergarena. 

 Possibly there may be a relationship with Ocotea hcmsleyana Mez, based on 

 Jenman 878, 897, from "Kaiteur Savannah" British Guiana, neither of which 

 have I seen. 



Ocotea cuprea (Meissner) Mez, Jahrb. Bot. Gart. Berlin 5: 299. 1889. 



Oreodapline cuprea Meissner in DC. Prodr. 15 1 : 114. 1864. 



Type. Prope Tarapoto, Peruviae orientalis, 1855-6, Spruce 4844 (isotype, 

 ?fl. NY). 



Vernacular Name. Laurel (Williams). 



Distribution. Tree with subdioecious flowers (according to Mez), to 20 m, 

 from Eastern Peru, Amazonas, Venezuela, and Vaupes, Colombia, at an altitude 

 of 100-200 m. VENEZUELA. Amazonas : en la selva alta, tupida de tierra firme, 

 San Carlos de Rio Negro, Williams 14594 (fr. A). COLOMBIA. Comisaria del 

 Vaupes: riberas del Rio Inirida (longit, 70° 30' W), alrededores del sitio llamado 

 "Morichal" cerca de la boca del Rio Papunaua, Fernandez 2320 (fr. US). 



This species, based on J* flowering material alone, is similar in habit to 

 O. oblonga (Meissner) Mez from French Guiana and Trinidad, based on 5 and 

 fruiting specimens (isotype, Sagot 491, J fl. NY). There appears to be a close 

 relationship between the two, if indeed they are not conspecific. Again, more 

 material is essential before this can be determined with certainty. 



Ocotea neblinae C. K. Allen, sp. nov. Fig. 51. 



Arbor ad 10 m alt., gemmis ut videtur gracilibus parvis lanceolato-ovoideis 

 griseo-pubescentibus, ramulis robustis conspicue striatis rubris mox griseis 

 glabris. Folia alternata, petiolis crassis ad 10 mm longis breviter canaliculars, 

 laminis utrinque glabris, coriaceis obovatis, (6-) 9-13 cm longis et (2.5-) 4.5-6 

 cm latis ad basim cuneatis leviter decurrentibus, ad apicem rotundatis vel minute 

 emarginatis, margine recurvatis, penninerviis, costa utrinque elevata, ad basim 

 conspicue lata, nervis 6-8-paribus supra obscure subtus graciliter conspicueque 

 elevatis, ad angulo 35-55° divergentibus. Inflorescentia axillaris, multiflora, 

 glabra, rubescens, patenti-paniculata, ad 20 cm longa quam foliis longior, 

 pedunculo ad 10 cm longo. Flores dioici, J 1 ad 4 mm longi, perianthio campanulato 



