1952] 



PLANTS COLLECTED IN ECUADOR 



31 



Catopsis sessiliflora (R. & P.) Mez. 



Junction of the Provinces of Guayas, Canar, Chimborazo and Bolivar: epi- 

 phyte, leaves, pedicel, and fruit light green; foothills of the western cordillera 

 near the village of Bucay, 1,000-1,250 ft., E-3677. 



Subfamily 3. Bromelioideae 



Greigia sodiroana Mez. 



Azuay: on soil, inflorescences short, leaves lax, spreading, bright green above, 

 inflorescence bracts chestnut-brown; the eastern cordillera, 1—8 km. north of the 

 village of Sevilla de Oro, 8,000-9,000 ft., E-4575. The primary bracts in this 

 specimen are very obscurely serrulate but it agrees closely with the following col- 

 lection in all other particulars. Plant on ground, with definite stem, to 0.3 m., 

 inflorescence bracts stiff-coriaceous, basally brown, apically green, corolla 

 bright lavender, individual fruits quite sweet and Giler and Prieto — who have 

 considerable experience in northern Ecuador— say plant is more abundant in north- 

 ern provinces and fruit is sold in Otovalo market under name of "Pinuela"; the 

 eastern Cordillera, 4—6 km. north of the village of Sevilla de Oro, 9,000—10,000 

 ft., E-4704. 



Aechmea Drakeana Andre. 



Santiago- Zamora (?): epiphyte, peduncle red, ovary bright pink, perianth bril- 

 liant blue; along the Rio Negro, 4,600 ft., Jorgensen, E-930. Chimborazo: bracts 

 pale green, fruits pink; on soil, moist forested valleys in the afternoon fog-belt, 

 canon of the Rio Chanchan, about 5 km. north of Huigra, 5,000—6,500 ft., E-3465. 



CANNACEAE 



Canna edulis Ker. 



Azuay: flowers red, leaves used to cover and wrap foods (taking place of 

 ubiquitous banana-leaf of warmer climates), tuberous rhizomes used as food; in 

 Cholo garden, village of Sevilla de Oro, 8,000 ft., E-5029. 



Canna limbata Rosc c 



Chimborazo: plants from short tuberous rhizomes, to 4 m. high, perianth parts 

 deep orange-yellow; moist forested valleys in the afternoon fog-belt, Canon of the 

 Rio Chanchan, about 5 km. north Huigra, 5,000-6,500 ft., E-3432. 



ZINGIBER ACE AE 



Renealmia breviscapa Poepp. & Endl. 



Chimborazo: plants in clumps, pungent- aromatic, vegetative branches to 2.5 

 m. , leaves dark green above, pale glaucous below, fruits bright red-orange, corolla 

 white, sepals crimson; moist forested valleys in the afternoon fog-belt, canon of 

 the Rio Chanchan, about 5 km. north of Huigra, 5,000-6,500 ft., E-3382. 



Renealmia cernua (Sw.) Mac bride. 



Santiago- Zamora ("Oriente"): plants colonial, to 3 m. high, bracts basally 

 red, apically yellow, tips becoming green with age, perianth yellow, (inflorescence 

 pungent- fragrant); near Mendez, 1,750-2,500 ft., E-896. 



Renealmia exaltata L. f. 



Guayas: plants in clumps from short heavy rhizomes, vegetative branches to 5 

 m., sheaths yellow-green, leaves deep green above, paler green below, sepals 

 pale pinkish-yellow, corolla-tube pink below, lobes yellow, fruit pale pink; Coastal 

 Plain, in the vicinity of Naranjito, 120 ft., E-3600. 



