136 



MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN 



[VOL. 10 



Ernestia cataractae Tut in. 



In two isotypes (K, US) examined, the ovary is 4-celled and the dorsal calcar 

 on the large stamen connectives is acute, while the hypanthium is 6-7 mm long. 

 Three recent Venezuelan collections — from the Chimanta Massif (Steyermark & 

 Wurdack 1283), Cerro Paru {Cowan & Wurdack 31444), and Cerro Guanay 

 (Maguire, Phelps, Hitchcock, & Budowski 31766) — seem referable to E. catar- 

 actae, although generally having slightly smaller (3-4.5 mm) hypanthia and 

 usually blunt dorsal connective ealcars. The Amazonas collections resemble the 

 British Guiana material in foliage, but the Chimanta collection has more def- 

 initely 5-nerved (and occasionally sub-7-nerved) leaf blades. The scanty material 

 thus far collected does not suggest subspecific distinction. 



E. pullet Gleason seems separable from E. cataract at most easily, apart from 

 the 3-celled ovary, by the more definitely developed panicle and the setose (rather 

 than merely acute) ends of the ventral connective lobes. E. minor Gleason has 

 prostrate stems and a 3-celled (in two fruits examined) ovary. E. rubra Pulle 

 has a definitely developed panicle, short calyx lobes, and setose ventral connective 

 prolongations in the large si aniens (but a 4-eelled ovary). Further blurring 

 Cogniaux' sectional distinctions in Ernestia is the predominantly 3-locular fruit 

 of numerous recent Venezuelan and Colombian collections of E. tenella (Bonpl.) 

 DC. var. sprucei Cogn. ; the available material did not permit establishment of 

 the dominant carpel number of E. tenella var. tenella, but of 9 fruits clearly seen, 

 5 were 3-celled and 4 were 4-celled. The puberulent ovary of E. tenella distin- 

 guishes it from all Guiana species. E. lata Gleason (Bull. Torrey Club 52: 328. 

 1925) is synonymous with E. tenella var. sprucei; the holotype of E. lata shows 

 slightly abortive anthers and leaf blades caducously glandular-setulose on both 

 sides, while the other differential characters cited in the original description have 

 been negated by recent collections. 



Ernestia maguirei Wurdack, sp. nov. Fig. 63, k-q. 



E. rubrae Pulle affinis sed foliis basi rotundatis vel vix cordatis stylo gland- 

 uloso-puberulo. 



Rami petiolis foliis subtus inflorescentiis hypanthiisque dense glanduloso- 

 setulosi pilis gracilibus. Petioli 4-9 mm ; lamina 2-3 X 1-1.5 cm oblongo-ovata 

 apice anguste acuta basi rotundata vel vix (ad 1 mm) cordata membranacea 

 5-nervata (jugo exteriori gracillimo neglecto) supra sparse laxeque strigulosa 

 pilis gracilibus glanduliferis ad margines irregulariter serrulata. Panicula ter- 

 minalis 5-8 cm longa oblonga ; flores 4-meri plerumque 3-5 mm pedicellati ; 

 bracteolae 0.7-1 mm longae ovatae glanduloso-puberulae 1 mm infra hypanthii 

 basim insertae caducae. Hypanthium (ad torum) 4.2 mm longum; calycis tubus 

 0.3 mm altus, lobis 1.5-1.8 mm longis oblongo-ovatis apice hebeti-acutis intus 

 apicem versus glanduloso-puberulis. Petala 8-8.5 X 4.5 mm, asymmetrice elliptica 

 apice obtusa et cum seta unica glandulif era. Stamina dimorphica ; filamenta 5 vel 

 4.5-4.7 mm. Stamina maiora : antherarum thecae 5.5-5.7 mm longae subulatae, 

 connectivo 1-1.2 mm prolongato dorsaliter cum appendice acuta 0.7 mm longa 

 ventraliter cum appendice 1.8-2.4 mm longa bifida acuta. Stamina minora: 

 antherarum thecae 4.5 mm longae subulatae, connectivo 0.4-0.5 mm prolongato 

 dorsaliter vix (0.1 mm) ealcarato ventraliter cum appendice bifida 1.4-1.5 mm 

 longa acuta. Stylus 11.5 X 0.5-0.3 mm centraliter sparse glanduloso-setulosus ; 

 stigma punctiforme ; ovarium 4-loculare glabrum ; capsula 4-valvata ; semina 

 0.5 X 0.35 mm cochleata tuberculata. 



