1957] 



THE BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLAND— PART II 



291 



laminis linearibus, longe acuminatis, basi paulo angustatis, 3 cm latis; scapo 

 robusto, albo-flocculoso, mox glabro; scapi vaginis e basi late elliptica rubra in 

 laminam foliaceam elongatam productis, supremis remotis; inflorescentia pauci- 

 ramosa, 4 dm longa, rubra; bracteis primariis suborbicularibus, apiculatis, quam 

 ramis multo brevioribus, tenuibus, fere integris, albo-lepidotis; spicis erectis, 

 breviter pedunculatis, anguste ovoideis, dense multifloris, 5-6 cm longis, supre- 

 mis congestis, alteris valde remotis; bracteis florigeris orbicularibus, quam sepa- 

 lis multo brevioribus, tenuibus, albo-lepidotis^ pedicellis gracilibus, 3 mm 

 longis; floribus strictis; sepalis lanceo-oblongis, obtusis, 14 mm longis, basi bi- 

 carinatis, nervatis, glabris; petalis sepala ad 12 mm superantibus, nudis; stami- 

 nibus inclusis; ovario % supero; seminibus alatis. 



TYPE: terrestrial, wet cliffs, lower central eastern drainage, 1650 m alt., Cerro 

 Sipapo (Paraque), Amazonas, Venezuela, January 14, 1949, Maguire & Politi 

 28368. 



There is no point in trying to place Pitcairnia kunhardtiana in any revision of 

 the genus because its alate seeds and dehiscent capsule exclude all but a hand- 

 ful of species and its habit is quite unlike these or any other. The flowers of 

 P. armata Maury from the same region are quite similar but the leaves and inflo- 

 rescence are very different. 



Brocchinia 



1. Ovary only one-third inferior; leaves and scape-bracts serrate. Colombia: 



Vaupes. fl. s errata, 



L Ovary wholly or almost wholly inferior; leaves and bracts always entire. 

 2. Leaves even above, 14-30 cm long. 



3. Inflorescence glabrous or subglabrous; petals unguiculate. 1. B. maguirei. 



3. Inflorescence lepidote; petals not unguiculate. 



4. Leaf-blades narrowly triangular; upper scape-bracts shorter than the 

 internodes; sepals cucullate; inflorescence tripinnate. Venezuela: 

 Duida. B. vestita, 



4. Leaf-blades ligulate; scape-bracts all much exceeding the internodes. 



5. Inflorescence tripinnate; sepals and petals obtuse. 2. B. hitchcockii, 



5. Inflorescence bipinnate; sepals and petals acute. 3* B t cowanii. 



2. Leaves prominently nerved on both sides, 20-120 cm long. 

 6. Inflorescence glabrous. 



7. Leaves narrowly triangular, acuminate, 40-80 cm long, 2-3 cm wide. 

 8. Leaf-sheaths prominent, 20-25 cm long, dark castaneous; ultimate 

 branches short, densely flowered. Venezuela: Auyan-tepui, Ptari- 

 tepui. B. acuminata, 



8. Leaf-sheaths inconspicuous, 5-8 cm long; ultimate branches elongate, 

 laxly flowered. 



9. Leaf-blades, scape-bracts, and primary bracts uniform; leaf^sheaths 

 green; inflorescence bipinnate; capsules sharply 3-angled. Vene- 

 zuela: Duida. B. prismatica. 



9. Leaf-blades, scape-bracts, and primary bracts with dark castaneous, 

 indurate, involute apices; leaf-sheaths dark castaneous; inflo- 

 rescence tripinnate; capsules with subterete carpels, Venezuela: 

 Duida, Rfo Cunucunuma, Rio Ventuari. B. melanacra. 



Explanation of figures 20-23 



FIGS. 20, 21. Pitcairnia. FIG. 20. P. epipbytica (Maguire, Wurdack & Bunting 37442). 

 a, reduced leaf, x %\ b, normal leaf, x%; c, flower, x 1; d, sepal, x 1; e, base of petal, X 

 2; f, section of ovary, x 2. FIG. 21. P. kunhardtiana (Maguire & Politi 28368), a, lower 

 branch of inflorescence, x 1; b, longitudinal section of flower, x 2; c, sepal, X 2; d, 

 ovule, x25- FIGS. 22, 23. Brocchinia. FIG. 22, B. maguirei (Maguire & Politi 28301). a, 

 habit, x l / x b, branch of inflorescence, x 1; c, sepal, x 5; d, petal and stamen, X 5; e, 

 pistil, x 5. FIG. 23. B. hitchcockii (Phelps & Hitchcock 522). a, habit, x V 10 ; b, branch 

 of inflorescence, X 1; c, sepal, X 2; d, petal and stamen, x 2; e, pistil, x 2. 



