50 



MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN [ Vol. 8, No. 1 



The cited specimens were obtained at altitudes of 4,000 to 11,000 ft., the plant 

 having been noted most often as a shrub, low and spreading in exposed places but 

 up to 4 m. high where protected from winds; it is sometimes epiphytic, either de- 

 pendent or with erect stiff branches; leaves deep green above, paler beneath, 

 often nitid; corolla white to pink; mature fruit about 1 cm. in diameter, white or 

 pinkish to reddish purple or wine-red, translucent. 



This excellent series of specimens, together with many others which have be- 

 come available since my previous discussion of the species (Brittonia 1: 219, 

 220. 1933), show that D. alaternoides varies to such a degree that the variety 

 parvijolium (Benth.) A. C. Smith no longer has any significance. This variety 

 occurs throughout the range of the species (Venezuela to Bolivia) and is distin- 

 guishable only on the basis of its smaller than typical leaves. It is now seen that 

 leaves on different branches of the same plant are often quite diverse in size, their 

 dimensions perhaps depending largely upon age or exposure. Although I originally 

 noted the flowers as "glabrous," it should be noted that some of the specimens 

 now available have both calyx and corolla sparsely pilose with minute whitish hairs. 



Disterigma leucanthum A. C. Smith, sp. nov. 



Frutex epiphyticus vel muscicola, ramulis gracilibus obtuse angulatis juventute 

 minute puberulis demum glabratis; petiolis subteretibus rugulosis 1.5-2.5 mm. 

 longis ut ramulis puberulis; laminis subcoriaceis in sicco fusco-viridibus ellipticis, 

 15-22 mm. longis, 8-15 mm. latis, basi rotundatis vel late obtusis, apice late 

 obtusis, margine leviter recurvatis, juvenilibus parce puberulis mox glabratis, 

 subtus parce et subpersistenter rubro-glanduloso-strigillosis, e basi obscure 5- 

 nerviis, cost a et nervis secundariis supra prominulis subtus obscuris vel leviter 

 elevatis, rete venularum supra saepe prominulo subtus immerso; inf lore scent ia 

 uniflora bracteis inconspicuis pluribus papyraceis imbricatis suborbiculari-oblongis 

 parce ciliolatis (maximis circiter 1.5 mm. longis) basi circumdata; pedicellis 

 bracteolis calyce et corolla extus dense et uniformiter puberulis (pilis pallidis 

 patentibus circiter 0.1 mm. longis); pedicellis teretibus l-2*mm. longis, bracteolis 

 apicalibus late ovato-reniformibus circiter 1 mm. longis et 3 mm. latis ciliolato- 

 marginatis imbricatis quam calycis tubo brevioribus; calyce sub anthesi circiter 5 

 mm. longo et apice diametro, tubo obscure angulato circiter 1.5 mm. longo, limbo 

 erecto-patente profunde 4-lobato, lobis ovatis 2.5-3 mm. longis latisque interdum 

 basi anguste imbricatis apice obtusis intus glabris; disco annulari-pulvinato glabro; 

 corolla carnosa cylindrica sub anthesi circiter 9 mm. longa et 3.5 mm. diametro 

 intus glabra, lobis 4 oblongis circiter 2 mm. longis obtusis; staminibus 8 quam 

 corolla brevioribus, filamentis gracilibus liberis ligulatis 2-2.5 mm. longis superne 

 intus ^>arce villosis, antheris 4.5-5 mm. longis, thecis basi rotundatis parce hispi- 

 dulis, tubulis thecas longitudine subae quant ib us per rimas ovales 0.5-1 mm. longas 

 dehiscentibus; stylo crasso tereti corollam subaequante, stigmate minuto. 



Santiago-Zamora: Cordillera Cutucu, ridge just south and west of Rio Itzintza, 

 5,000-5,900 ft. elev., Nov. 17-Dec. 5, 1944, Camp E-1344 (TYPE US 1,989,017; 

 dupl. NY) (epiphyte, or at 5,900 ft. seen growing in a mound of sphagnum; corolla 

 pure white). 



The new species is a relative of D. alaternoides (H. B. K.) Nied., differing in 

 its very short pedicellary bracteoles which do not effectively conceal the calyx- 

 tube (as they do in D. alaternoides, where they are usually 2-4 mm. long), its 

 copiously and uniformly puberulent flowers (glabrous or very sparsely pilose in D. 

 alaternoides), its large calyx-lobes (1 -2 mm. long in D. alaternoides), and its 

 longer corolla and anthers. Other species of this general alliance, D. popenoei 

 Blake and D. ulei Sleumer, differ from the new species in many obvious characters, 



