1963] 



BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLANDS PART V 



reported from Colombia. VENEZUELA. Bolivar : dense forest at base of Cerro 

 Ptari-tepui, along Rio Karuai, Steyermark 60642 (fr. NY) ; wooded margin below 

 edge of mesa escarpment between Santa Teresita de Kavanayen and wooded 

 quebrada about 8 km northwest of Kavanayen, Steyermark 60455 (fr. F) ; en 

 selvas, Kavanayen, Lasser 1732 fl. F, US), selva de Oparuma, 1880 (^ fl. F), 

 Quebrada de Pakairao, 1930, (J* fl. F, US), en selvas alrededores de Santa Elena 

 de Uairen, Alto Carom, 1636 (5 fl. F, US) ; Gran Sabana, Cerro Akurima, Santa 

 Elena, Tamayo 3251 (J fl. F, US) ; orilla de selva pluvial, Cereanias al Este de 

 Santa Elena, Bernardi 6718 (fr. NY). 



The species is closely related to Ocotea acutangula (Miquel) Mez, described 

 from Bahia. Miquel 's original publication gives as type Blanchet 2961. This is 

 obviously an error, for both the isotypes available bear the number 3961, as 

 cited by Mez. 



The species is separated from Miquel 's by ferruginous pubescence which tends 

 to be more persistent ; the leaves are in general longer and more narrowly ovate- 

 elliptic ; and the inflorescences attain a greater length and many are more per- 

 fectly pyramidal. The immature fruiting material from the Steyermark collec- 

 tions (a taller tree than the other specimens cited), representing a young 

 flowering stage, compares favorably with the mature fruit from the Bernardi 

 collection. The leaves of the pistillate specimen are rather more elliptic than 

 ovate-elliptic and on the whole less long-acuminate. In other respects, however, 

 the characters are in agreement. 



It is with pleasure that I name this species for Dr. Tobias Lasser, Director, 

 Instituto Botanico, Caracas, Venezuela, whose interest in the Lauraceae has long 

 been known. 



Ocotea atrata C. K. Allen, sp. now Fig. 44. 



Arbor parva vel frutex ad 2 m, gemmis ovoideis acute attenuatis, minute 

 adpresseque fulvo-sericeis, ramulis atro-rubris conspicue sulcatis et abrupte 

 flexuosis juventute minute fulvo-pubescentibus mox atro-pubescentibus giabres- 

 centibus. Folia alternata, petiolis robustis obscure pubescentibus atro-rubris 

 breviter canaliculars, ad 12 mm longis et ad 3 mm latis, laminis maturis utrinque 

 glabris, costa subtus excepta, coriaceis supra ± nitidis subtus subnitidis vel 

 pallidioribus opacis, juventute oblongis, maturitate ellipticis ovatisve variabilibus, 

 9-15 cm longis et 3.5-8 cm latis, ad basim obtusis rotundatisque et saepe valde 

 revolutis, ad apicem rotundatis acutis vel abrupte acuminatis apiculatisque, 

 penninerviis, costa et nervis utrinque ± conspicuis ochraceis, costa supra leviter 

 immersa, subtus conspicue elevata, nervis (3-) 5-7-paribus, ochraceis gracilibus 

 supra planis subtus conspicuis elevatisque, ad angulo 55-45° divergentibus, rete 

 venularum laxa supra aliquando conspicua subtus conspicue elevata. Inflores- 

 centia axillaris subterminalisque, satis robusta, utrinque dense minuteque sub- 

 ferrugineo-pubescens, aliquantum stricte racemoso-paniculata, ad 10 (-12) cm 

 longa brevipedunculata. Flores dioici ? ad 3 mm longi minute pubescentes, 

 pedicello ad 2.7 mm longo, perianthio ± campanulato, eburneo- vel flavo- 

 viridescenti fide coll., lobis satis crassis ovatis extus papulosis, ad 2 mm longis, 

 tubo quam lobis breviore ; staminibus ser I & II ad 0.8 mm longis, antheris ovatis 

 ± truncatis quam filamentis triplo longioribus, ser III ad 1 mm longis antheris 

 subquadrangularibus filamentis aequantibus biglandulosis, glandulis stipitatis 

 basilaribus, ser IV 0, vel minutis abortivisque ; gynoecio abortivo ad 1.6 mm 

 longo, stigmate magno peltato ; flores 5 (post anthesin) ad 4 mm longi, perianthio 



