1963] 



BOTAXY OF THE GUAYAXA HIGHLANDS PART V 



181 



longato dorsaliter basi minute (0.1 mm) hebeti-mucronato. Stylus 6-6.5 X 0.4— 

 0.15 mm; stigma punctif orme ; ovarium 4-loculare 2/3-3/4-inferum apice 0.5 mm 

 liberum in collum 0.2 mm altum modice stellato-puberulum circum stylum 

 protractum. 



Type. Flowers white, occasional at forest edge on granitic laja on right bank 

 of Rio Siapa 8 km below Raudal Gallineta (about 100 river km from mouth), 

 Terr. Amazonas, Venezuela, alt. 130-300 m, 20 Jul 1959, J. J. Wurdack & L. 8. 

 Adderley 43519 (holotype US 2342635). 



All the suggested relatives of C. siapensis have upper leaf surfaces bullate- 

 strigulose or densely strigose with non-stellate hairs ; several species are obscurely 

 stellulate-puberulous between the bullae. The anther shape of the Siapa species 

 is like that of C. strigillosa (Sw.) DC. and its immediate relatives, rather than 

 resembling that of the C. novemnervia species-group. I feel that the synonyrniza- 

 tion suggested by Gleason (Brittonia 1: 167. 1932) is excessive; at least C. 

 pustnlata DC. sensu Cogniaux and R. O. "Williams is distinct from the C. novem- 

 nervia grouping (and perhaps only varietally distinct from C. strigillosa). C. 

 pustnlata is quite suggestive of C. siapensis, but has pustulate moderately 

 glandular-setulose upper leaf surfaces, larger stellate hairs, densely glandular- 

 setulose hypanthia, and ovary apices with glandular-setulose as well as stellulate 

 hairs. C. pustnlata stains the press sheets and to some extent the herbarium 

 sheets yellow, indicating a chemical difference from the non-staining C. strigillosa. 

 At least part of C. neglecta Don sensu Gleason is actually C. pustnlata; as noted 

 by Macbride and indicated by the type photograph, the Madrid Ruiz & Pavon 

 .material purporting to be C. neglecta shows the interrupted-verticillate inflores- 

 cence spikes characteristic of C. capitellata (Bonpl.) Don, rather than the diffuse 

 panicles of C. neglecta sensu R. O. Williams. Central American material studied 

 by Gleason as C. n< gh eta is mixed. 



Clidemia capitellata (Bonpl.) D. Don var. levelii Wurdack, var. nov. 



A var. capitellata differ! spica contracta 1-1.5 cm longa. A var. dependenti 

 (D. Don) Macbr. differt foliis supra et subtus sparse strigulosis. 



Type. Arbolito 2 m, flores blancas, Sabana de Moyo on south bank of Rio 

 Ventuari 15 km above mouth, alt. 150 m, 5 May 1954, J. Silverio Level 28 

 (holotype US 2342385). 



Following Macbride 's interpretation in the Flora of Peru, typical C. capitel- 

 lata has a spikelike inflorescence 3-8 cm long with interrupted verticels of flowers, 

 while var. dependens (as to the Ruiz & Pavon type) has contracted spikes but 

 upper leaf surfaces strigose with hairs 1-2 mm long. The upper leaf surfaces in 

 var. levelii are sparsely strigulose, the hairs 0.5-0.7 mm long and 1-2/mm 2 . The 

 Venezuelan and Colombian lowland collections which, following Macbride, have 

 been referred to var. dependens certainly have longer denser pubescence than 

 the Peruvian type ; from Hoehne's description and plate, C. longisetosa Hoehne 

 is part of this widespread population. Within all this variability however, var. 

 levelii is quite distinct. 



Clidemia bullosa DC. Prodr. 3 : 158. 1828. 



C. candolleana Cogn. Mart. Fl Bras. 14, pt. 4: 490. 1888. 



C. rariflora Benth. Hook. Jour. Bot. 2: 308. 1840. 



Staphidium pliostemon Naud. Ann. Sci. Nat. Ill, 17: 313. 1852. 



Clidemia pleiostemon (Naud.) Cogn. DC. Monog. Phan. 7: 1000. 1891. 



