1963] 



BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLANDS ] 



PART V 



205 



Kew measure as much as 22.5 cm long by 8.5 cm broad. In the collection of 

 Maguire, Wurdack, & Bunting 36640 from the Rio Pacimoni (a tributary of the 

 Rio Casiquiare, whence the type locality) and of Williams 14076, the leaf -blades 

 are 18-26 cm long and 8-11.5 cm wide and up to 21 cm long and 7.5 cm wide 

 respectively, thus approaching closely the limits given in Spruce's original 

 collection. 



The matter of 3-verticillate leaves, as given in the original description, but 

 questioned at the time as being constant, is found to vary to 4-verticillate. The 

 Maguire, Wurdack, & Bunting 36640 specimen, referred to above, has 4-verticil- 

 late leaves. Most of the collections examined, however, show 3-verticillate leaves. 



At the time of Spruce's original description, no fruit was extant. However, 

 based upon two present collections, considered as conspecific with H. nitida, the 

 following emendation may be given: capsula lignosa magna transverse oblonga 

 vel suborbiculari-quadrata complanata extus purpureo-nigra superficies cinerea 

 supra medium cicatrice calycis circumdata 9-10 cm lata 8-9.5 cm alta, valvulis 

 ad margines 3-3.5 mm crassis medio ad 7 mm crassis; seminibus magnis com- 

 pressissimis late oblongis extremitatibus rotundatis 5.5 cm longis 3.2 cm altis 

 vel latis. 



Key to the Varieties of Hi nriqm zia nitida 



1. Lateral nerves scarcely evident beneath; leaf-blades relatively small, 9-17 cm long, 



2.5-5.5 cm wide. 3d. var. oblonga. 



1. Lateral nerves quite evident or prominulous beneath ; principal leaf-blades relatively 

 large and well-developed, 9-36 cm long, 3.5-15 cm wide. 

 2. Petiolar glands usually 2 ; lateral pairs of nerves of leaf -blades 6-18 mm apart ; 



leaves mainly 3-, rarely 4-verticillate. 3a. var. nitida. 



2. Petiolar gland 1; lateral pairs of nerves of leaf-blades 15-30 mm apart; leaves 

 4-verticillate. 



3. Lateral pairs of nerves of leaf-blades mainly 12-15; leaf-blades broadly 

 obovate, conspicuously narrowed below the middle to the base; lower surface 

 of leaf-blades with a prominulous subreticulate tertiary venation. 



3c. var. subcuneata. 



3. Lateral pairs of nerves of leaf -blades mainly 9-12; leaf -blades oblong or 

 oblong-obovate, gradually narrowed to the base; lower surface of leaf-blades 

 with the tertiary venation inconspicuous, obsolete, or not subreticulate. 



3b. var. macrophylla. 



3a. Henriquezia nitida Spruce ex Benth. var. nitida Fig. 72, H-J. 



Henriquezia nitida Spruce ex Benth. Trans. Linn. Soc. 22: 297. 1859. 



Distribution: Rio Atabapo in Colombia, extreme western part of Territorio 

 Federal Amazonas (Rio Atabapo, Rio Pacimoni, and Rio Temi), Venezuela, and 

 Rio Vaupes, state of Amazonas, Brazil. 



COLOMBIA. Drowned river margin of Rio Atabapo, just above Cacagual; 

 tree 6-10 m; leaves 3-whorled ; corolla white flushed with pink, the tube within 

 pink spotted with orange beard on one side ; alt. 130 m ; frequent ; 19 Nov 1953, 

 Maguire, Wurdack, & Bunting 36268 (NY). VENEZUELA. Amazonas: Yavita, 

 Alto Orinoco ; entre palmeras en las sabanetas ; arbol de 6 m de altura con copa 

 abierta ; tronco 25 cm de diametro ; madera dura, no es f acil de cortar ; f ruta de 

 color castaiio, moteado, comprimido ; exuda ; alt. 128 m ; 29 Marzo 1942, L. Wil- 

 liams 14076 (F, VEN, US) ; 15 km above San Fernando de Atabapo; frequent 

 on sandy banks ; small or medium-sized tree ; alt. 100 m ; 17 Oct 1950, Maguire 

 29261 (NY) ; along Rio Temi below Yavita ; frequent in caatinga; 20 Oct 1950, 



