1955] 



PLANTS COLLECTED IN ECUADOR 



165 



above; internodes from 1-2 cm long below to 5-8 cm above, minutely hirtellous; 

 leaves in whorls of 3-6, the upper leaves 10-13 mm wide x 20-30 mm long, sub- 

 oblanceolate- or lance-elliptic, acute at both ends, spreading, glabrous except 

 for fine ciliolation near the apex, palmately 3- or obscurely 5-nerved, the midrib 

 branching upward, paler and glandular-dotted beneath, drying membranous, trans- 

 lucent, the lower leaves scarcely 10 mm wide x 10-20 mm long, oblanceolate or 

 obovate, often red beneath when growing, the apex obtuse, the base acute, 

 hirtellous on both sides, palmately 3-nerved, drying coriaceous and opaque, 

 strongly reflexed; petioles from hirtellous and 2 mm long on the lower leaves to 

 glabrate and 5 mm long above; spikes numerous, very slender, loosely flowered, 

 solitary or in terminal and axillary clusters of two or three, up to 10 cm or more 

 long; peduncle slender, 10-15 mm long, sparsely hirtellous-glabrescent; bracts 

 round, peltate; fruit about 0.8 mm long, globose-ovoid, the apex oblique; stigma 

 subapical. 



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

 a few seepages and small swamps along the river), hanging over rocks, 1200—1350 m, 

 May 7-14, 1945, E-3020 (TYPE). 



The most outstanding character of this species is the great contrast in size 

 and shape between the leaves of the lower stem and those in the upper, branch- 

 ing, flowering part. The slender, spike-bearing branches and long, slender 

 spikes are also distinctive characters. 



It resembles P. praeruptorum of Peru to some extent but differs in the leaf 

 characters, shorter petioles, etc. It also resembles P. apodophylla of Colombia 

 but differs from that species in the heteromorphic leaves, character of the in- 

 dument, and the greater length of the petioles and peduncles. 



Peperomia glabella (Sw.) A. Dietr. Sp. PI. 1: 156. 1831. 



Junction of GUAYAS, CAtfAR, CHIMBORAZO & BOLIVAR- foothills of the western 

 Cordillera near the village of Bucay, 300—375 m, June 8—15, 1945, E-3789, 



Peperomia glabella var. nervulosa (CDC.) Yuncker, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 

 37: 98. 1950. 



SANTIAGO-ZAMORA ("Oriente"): valleys and cliff-sides of small streams entering 

 Ri'o Paute, 2-3 km west of Mendez, 570 m, Dec 13, 1955, E-1489. 



Peperomia fuscipunctata Yuncker, sp. nov. 



Herba subglabra assurgens; foliis alternis, distichis ellipticis vel lanceolato- 

 ellipticis, apice attenuatis longe acuminatis, basi acutis, glabris, palmatim 5- 

 nerviis; ovario globoso-ovoideo, apice obliquo; stigmate subapicali. 



A dark-dutted, terrestrial herb, up to 30 cm tall; stems 2-3 mm thick below 

 when dry, ascending from a decumbent rooting base, simple or occasionally 

 branched but with small, axillary, spike-bearing branchlets upward, zigzag, 

 glabrous except for slight pubescence opposite the decurrent petioles in younger 

 parts, the internodes 1 cm long above to 4 cm long below; leaves alternate, 

 distichous, elliptic or lance-elliptic, 1-2 cm wide x 5-7 cm long, the apex at- 

 tenuately long-acuminate, the base acute, glabrous, ciliolate near the apex, 

 palmately 5-nerved, drying dark above, paler beneath, membranous, translucent; 

 petiole 5 mm or less long, winged by the decurrent blade margins, clasping at 

 the base and decurrent, forming thin but rather prominent internodal wings, 

 glabrous; spikes as yet immature, less than 1 mm thick x 2-4 cm long, axillary, 

 solitary or occasionally multiple, commonly on short, axillary branchlets, moder- 

 ately flowered; peduncle very slender, scarcely more than 5 mm long, glabrous; 

 bracts round, peltate, dark-glandular-dotted; ovary globose-ovoid, in rachis pits, 

 the apex oblique; stigma subapical; fruit not developed. 



