1963] 



BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLANDS PART V 



151 



G. caryophyllea has obscurely rounded-quadrate to terete branches, non-alate 

 petioles, and minute deltoid early-caducous inflorescence node bracts about 1 mm 

 long. The flowers of the two taxa are alike. G. caryophyllea is apparently to be 

 found on most of the crystalline monadnocks of the upper Rio Negro drainage, 

 as well as on the Gran Sabana and in several cumbres (Auyan-tepui, the 

 Chimanta Massif, Guaiquinima, Duida, and Yutaje). The amorphous lower leaf 

 surface indument varies in amount and persistence, with most (but not all) 

 cumbre collections having the deepest and most persistent. Generally, the cumbre 

 material has slightly smaller flowers than the lower-elevation specimens, but one 

 large Rio Parguaza monadnock series {Wurdack & Monachino 41025) has 

 slightly smaller flowers than any cumbre number along with quite glabrous 

 foliage. Minute punctulae like those of the leaves of G. irwinii may also be seen 

 in the more glabrous collections of G. caryophyllea (cf. Maguire & Maguire 

 35146). Triana's and Cogniaux' descriptions of the "4-merous" flowers of G. 

 caryophyllea are quite misleading, as examination of an isotype (NY) and the 

 numerous recent collections shows almost exclusively 5-mery. 



Graff enrieda polymera Gleason subsp. neblinensis Wurdack, subsp. nov. 



A subsp. polymera differt pedicellis tenuioribus floribus minoribus petalis 

 albidis. 



Type. Tree 8 m tall and 6 cm DBH, flowers white and 5-merous, frequent 

 along trail just below north escarpment, Cerro de la Neblina, Terr. Amazonas, 

 Venezuela, alt. 1850 m, 17 Nov 1957, Bassett Maguire, John J. Wurdack, & Celia 

 K. Maguire 42136 (holotype US 2342608). Paratypes. VENEZUELA, Terr. 

 Amazonas. Cerro de la Nablina : just below north escarpment, alt. 1600-1800 m, 

 Maguire, Wurdack & Hunting 36925, 36992, 37267. 



In subsp. polymera, known only from Duida and Paru, the pedicels are 1.5-2 

 mm in diameter and not well differentiated from the attenuate hypanthium base, 

 the hypanthium plus calyx is 9-11 mm long ( Gleason 's original hypanthial di- 

 mensions included the pedicel length), and the pink-flushed petals are 14-17 mm 

 long. The Neblina subspecies has distinct pedicels 3-5 X 1 mm, hypanthium plus 

 calyx 6-7 mm long, and white petals 9-11 X 7-9 mm. Of 58 buds examined in 

 the various collections of subsp. neblinensis, 41 were 5-merous; 11, 6-merous; 

 and 6, 4-merous. The typical subspecies seems predominantly 6-merous. 



G. polymera generally has the vegetative and floral features of G. caryo- 

 phyllea; however the calyx of G. polymera is not calyptrate, and the bud petals 

 protrude through the truncate (or nearly so) calyx apex as in Meriania urceolata 

 Triana. In G. caryophyllea, the closed calyx ruptures, as the bud matures, into 

 2-3 large membranous rather persistent lobes. 



Graff enrieda sessilifolia Triana subsp. cardonae Wurdack, subsp. nov. 



A subsp. sessilifolia differt foliis subtus persistenter granuloso-furfuraceis 

 petalis roseis. 



Type. "Arbusto de 3 m^ flor morada, en la planicie de la cumbre del Auyan- 

 tepui, 7 ' Edo, Bolivar, Venezuela, alt. 2100 m, Jan 1949, F. Car dona 2681 (holo- 

 type US 1997693; isotypes NY, VEN). Paratype. VENEZUELA, Edo. Bolivar. 

 Auyan-tepui : alt. 2200 m, Tate 1166 (NY) . 



The differences in the three subspecies of G. sessilifolia were noted previously 

 (Mem. N. Y. Bot. Gard. 10: 110. 1958). Also Gleason had commented (Brittonia 



