1963] 



BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLANDS PART V 



105 



Type. Shrub 2-3 m, inflorescence branches red-tinged, flowers cream, occa- 

 sional along Pimichm-Yavita trail near Pimichm, Amazonas, Venezuela, 120- 

 140 m, 10 Oct 1957, Bassett Maguire, John J. Wurdack & William M. Keith 41789 

 (holotype, <J fl. NY). 



Distribution. Shrub to 3 m in sabanitas or sandy caatingas along the Rio 

 Guainia in Venezuela and the Rio Negro and its tributaries in Amazonas, Brazil. 

 VENEZUELA. Amazonas: occasional in sabanita 1 km west of La Ceiba, Cano 

 San Miguel 2 km above Limoncito, Maguire, Wurdack & Keith 41913 (J* fl. NY). 

 BRAZIL. Amazonas: prope Panure ad Rio Uaupe, Spruce 2485 19 [A] (J fl. 

 NY) ; Rio Vaupes between Ipanore and confluence with Rio Negro, Schultes & 

 Fires 9112 (fr. F) ; caatinga arenosa, Arary-Pira, Rio Aiary, regiao Rio Negro, 

 F roes 21349 (J 1 fl. NY). 



The heavy texture of the leaves with the robust, more or less succulent vena- 

 tion is outstanding in the genus and, to a limited degree, only approached by that 

 found in the type of 0. adenotrachelium , also a Spruce number. The leaves of 

 the latter collection, however, are much larger, up to 24 cm long and 9 cm broad, 

 with a tendency towards an oblanceolate outline, a shorter acumen, a very short 

 petiole, and a subcordate to cordate base. 



There is a possible alliance with the caudata group, but the present species 

 is separated by the very coarse-textured and heavily veined, larger, oblong- 

 lanceolate, drip-tip leaves, contrasted with the exceedingly slender, almost 

 filamentous, few-flowered inflorescences. The latter offer another striking resem- 

 blance, though weaker in habit, to those of the caudata group. 



Ocotea yutajensis C. K. Allen, sp. nov. Fig. 56. 



Arbor parva ad 4 m alta, gemmis gracillimis attenuato-acuminatis minute 

 denseque griseO-sericeis, ramulis teretibus juventute dense sericeis mox griseis 

 glabrescentibus atratis. Folia alternata, petiolis gracilibus pubescentibus glabres- 

 centibus rubescentibus mox striatis, ad 15 mm longis et 1 mm latis, laminis 

 utrinque glabris, raro costa glabrescenti, subcoriaceis, supra viridibus nitidis 

 subtus opacis saepe brunnescentibus, (4-5-) 7-8 cm longis et 2-3 cm latis, ad 

 basim obtusis vel subrotundatis, raro acutis, ad apicem obtuse attenuato- 

 acuminatis vel obtusis, penninerviis, costa conspicua supra leviter impressa 

 subtus conspicue elevata, nervis utrinque obscuris paribus reticulis obscuris, 

 ad angulo 65-80° divergentibus, rete venularum laxo supra conspicue elevato 

 subtus densiore minus conspicuo. Inflorescentia axillaris vel subterminalis, 

 racemoso-stricte paniculata, ut videtur 5 cm vel minus glabrescens rubescens 

 brevipedunculata. Flores dioici, pubescentes, $ ad 4 mm longi, pedicello ad 1.5 

 mm longo, perianthio suburceolato, lobis recurvatis, ovatis vel subspathulatis, 

 ad 1.8 mm longis, staminibus ser I & II ad 1.3 mm longis, antheris ovatis, 

 filamenta satis robusta pubescentia subaequantibus, ser III ad 1.5 mm longis 

 biglandulosis, ser IV variabilibus, ad 0.5 mm longis squamosis vel capitatis ;' 

 5 flores 3-3.5 mm longi, pedicellati ; perianthio infundibuliformi, viridescenti 

 fide coll., membranaceo, lobis exterioribus ovatis, interioribus angustioribus ad 



19 Spruce 2485, as represented in Gray Herbarium and Herb. Vindob. Bot. Mus., according 

 to a note by Dr. H. N. Moldenke in 1933 on The New York Botanical Garden specimen, is 

 Citharexylum sca?idens Briq. & Spruce. To avoid confusion and to keep the identity of the 

 sheet in question, I have given it the same number followed by 11 [A]." I have not seen any 

 other Spruce number matching this lauraceous species, with which it might have been confused 

 when the collections were distributed. 



