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MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN [Vol. 9, No. 2 



translucent; petiole 1-2 cm long, vaginate at the base, glabrous; spikes 10 mm 

 thick x 10-12 cm long when mature, creamy-white at anthesis; peduncle 1-2 cm 

 long, glabrous; bracts triangular-subpeltate, marginally densely fringed; fruit 

 globose, glabrous, with a stout, subulate equilong style, green when living; 

 stigmas ligulate, recurved. 



AZUAY-"ORIENTE M border: eastern cordillera, between Ona and the Ri'o Yacuambi, 

 west slope, 2400-2850 m, Sept 10-19, 1945, Prieto P-216 (TYPE). 



This species most closely resembles P. conejoense and P. phytolaccae folium. 

 From the former it differs in its lack of pubescence, dense ciliation, type of 

 nervation, and longer petioles; from the latter in the type of nervation, larger 

 leaves, longer spikes, etc. 



Piper azuaiense Yuncker, sp. nov. 



Frutex; foliis ovato-lanceolatis, apice acuminatis, basi cuneatis, supra 

 glabris, subtus e modice ad conferte crispe pubescentibus, omnino pinnatim 

 venosis; drupa globosa glabra, stylo aequilongo, crasso, stigmatibus ligulatibus. 



Coarse shrub, 3 m tall; young branches nodose; internodes rather stout, 

 sparsely hirsute-glabrescent; leaves ovate-lanceolate, 9-15 cm wide x 25-35 cm 

 long, the apex acuminate, the base cuneate-decurrent, one side about 5 mm 

 shorter, deep green, subnitid, and glabrous above when growing, paler and moder- 

 ately to densely crisp-pubescent beneath, ciliolate, pinnately nerved throughout, 

 the nerves mostly 10-12 on each side, with intermediates and cross-connecting- 

 anastomosing nervules, drying firm, opaque; petiole 2-3 cm long, glabrous, 

 vaginate at the base; spikes 10 mm thick x 10-12 cm long; peduncle about 1.5 cm 

 long, glabrous; bracts round-subpeltate, the margin densely yellow-fringed; fruit 

 dark, globose, glabrous, the style subequilong, stout, subulate; stigmas ligulate, 

 spreading. 



AZUAY: the eastern cordillera, 1-8 km north of the village of Sevilla de Oro, 2400- 

 2700 m, July 27-Aug 12, 1945, E-4466 (TYPE). 



This species appears to be closely related to P. rio-tintasense. It differs in 

 its larger leaves which are glabrous above and more densely pubescent beneath, 

 and especially in its densely fringed bracts. 



Piper phytolaccae folium Opiz in Presl, Rel. Haenk. 151. 1830. 



CHIMBORAZO: canon of the Rio Chanchan near Huigra (mostly scrub-chaparral, with 

 a few seepages and small swamps along the river), 1200—1350 m, May 7-14, 1945, E-3078. 



Junction of GUAYAS, CAflAR, CHIMBORAZO & BOLIVAR: foothills of the western 

 cordillera near the village of Bucay, 300-375 m, June 8-15, 1945, E-3652, E-3658. 



EL ORO: junction of Rios Ambocas and Luis, 10 km due south of Portovelo, 600-750 

 ra, Oct 6, 1944, E-593. 



Piper stileferum Yuncker, sp. nov. 



Frutex; foliis late ellipticis, apice breviter acute acuminatis, basi rotundatis 

 truncatis vel latius cordatis, supra glabris, subtus ad venas puberulis, a parte 

 infera pinnatim venosis; drupa globosa, glabra; stigmatibus recurvis stylo line- 

 aribus subulato fultis. 



Shrub, 1.5-3 m tall; upper internodes 3-6 cm long, rather slender, reflexed- 

 hirtellous; leaves broadly elliptic, 9-12 cm wide x 16-19 cm long, the apex 

 sharply short-acuminate, the base rounded, truncate or shallowly lobed, abruptly 

 acute at the petiole and pne side 2-3 mm shorter, glabrous. above, the nerves be- 

 neath puberulent, not ciliate, pinnately nerved from the lower half, the nerves 6 

 on each side, with rather prominent cross-connecting-anastomosing nervules as 

 seen by transmitted light, drying membranous, translucent; petiole about 20 plus 

 2-3 mm long, vaginate to near the blade, recurved-hirtellous; spikes 8 mm thick x 



