1952] 



PLANTS COLLECTED IN ECUADOR 



51 



the first having conspicuously nerved leaves, several-flowered inflorescences, a 

 glabrous short-lobed calyx, and small anthers, the second having thick-carnose 

 obovate leaves and very small flowers (calyx teeth minute; corolla about 3.5 

 mm. long, glabrous; anthers about 2 mm. long). 



Disterigma empetrifolium (H. B. K.) Drude in E.& P. Nat. Pfl. 4 (1): 52. 1889. 



Cartar: Uplands called "Huairacaja," 10 20 km. northeast of Azogues, Camp 

 E-1777. Azuay: Along the Rio Matadero, west of Cuenca, Camp E-2021. Vicinity 

 of the lake in the valley of the Rio Surucuchu (a branch of the Rio Matadero), 

 18-20 km. west of Cuenca, Camp E-4162. Paramo de Tinajillas and surrounding 

 chaparral and forests, 30-50 km. south of Cuenca, Camp E-467. "Oriente" Border, 

 Eastern Cordillera, between Ona and the Rio Yacuambi, F. Prieto P-303. Loja: 

 Cerro Villanaco, about 7 km. west of the city of Loja, Camp F-247. 



The species was often common where noted, at elevations of 8,000 to 11,200 

 ft., growing as a low shrub in grass, among rocks, on banks, or in bogs, often 

 forming mats or dense clumps and propagating by runners; leaves dark green above, 

 paler beneath, dull on both sides or shining above; corolla light rose or deep pink 

 to crimson; filaments white, the anthers red-brown; mature fruit white, translucent, 

 oblate-spherical, up to 1 cm. in diameter, insipid. 



This is the common small-leaved species of Disterigma, occurring along the 

 Andes from Venezuela to Peru. 



Disterigma codonanthum Blake, Jour. Wash. Acad. 16: 363. 1926. 



Azuay: Cordillera de Alpachaca (headwaters of the Rio Jubones, between the 

 Rios Giron and Leon), near the pan-American highway at about km. 79, Camp E-405. 

 The eastern Cordillera, 4 6 km. north of the village of Sevilla de Oro, Camp 

 E-4717A, E-4717B. "Oriente" Border, Paramo del Castillo and surrounding for- 

 ested areas (crest of the eastern Cordillera on the trail between Sevilla de Oro and 

 Mendez), Camp E-4869 (NY only); same locality, east of El Pan, Camp E-1632. 



The cited specimens were obtained at elevations of 9,000 to 11,350 ft.; they 

 were collected at the edges of paramos and sometimes formed the dominant ground- 

 cover on open slopes and paramo areas; in habit these plants often occur in dense 

 mats in sphagnum meadows, propagating by long runners, sometimes almost buried 

 in the sphagnum with only the tips exposed, or with the aerial parts stiffly erect 

 and rarely as high as 0.5 m.; leaves shining, deep green above, paler beneath; 

 bracts and calyx bright green; corolla green, red-tinged, brick-red, or rosy-pink 

 (total range of color variation from green to red sometimes found in single plants); 

 filaments white to bright pink, the anthers brown; fruit white, translucent. 



This species, apparently endemic to Ecuador, is less rare than indicated by 

 the fact that I cited only two collections in 1933 (Brittonia 1: 228); I have since 

 seen material from Carchi {Penland & Summers 871, NY), Imbabura (Penland & 

 Summers 828, NY), and Azuay (Steyermark 53436, A, Ch). Some of the corollas on 

 the Camp specimens are larger than previously noted, being up to 10 mm. long. 

 Nimber 4869 has leaf-blades notably larger than usual (up to 10 x 5 mm.), but its 

 flowers are typical for the species. Number 1632 , from the same general locality, 

 has one similarly large-leaved branch, from which arise lateral shoots with leaves 

 normal for the species (1.5-3 mm. broad). These interesting specimens show what 

 variable and undependable characters the shape and size of leaves are in this 

 complex. 



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



Frutex epiphyticus, ramulis elongatis gracilibus fusco-castaneis obtuse angu- 

 latis vel subteretibus copiose hispidulis (pilis castaneis circiter 1 mm. longis 

 subpersistentibus); foliis non confertis 4 vel 5 per centimetrum; petiolis teretibus 



