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MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN [Vol. 9, No. 3 



7. Leaves ligulate, rounded and apiculate, 80-120 cm long, 12-20 cm wide. 



British Guiana. S. micrantha. 



6. Inflorescence lepidote. 



10. Ovary and capsule ellipsoid, rounded at the base, sessile. Venezuela: 



Ptari-tepui, Caroni. B. steyermarkii. 



10. Ovary and capsule slenderly clavate, long-attenuate at the base, slen- 

 derly pedicellate. 



11. Branches strict, the lowest with the basal flowers covered by the 



large primary bracts; inflorescence very narrow. 4. B. cryptantha. 



11. Branches divergent or spreading, their sterile bases usually much ex- 

 ceeding the small primary bracts; inflorescence broad. 

 12. Central and secondary axes straight or the flowers secund. 



13. Scales appressed, merely erose, suborbicular; sepals cucullate; 



petals unguiculate. Colombia, Venezuela. B. paniculata. 



13. Scales spreading, lacerate; sepals straight. 



14. Floral bracts lanceolate; acuminate, 5 mm long; sepals and 

 petals similar; leaves rounded and apiculate; flowers mostly 

 not secund. Venezuela. B. tatei. 



14. Floral bracts ovate, acute, 2-3.5 mm long; sepals narrow; 

 petals broad and unguiculate; leaves acuminate; flowers 

 strongly secund. Venezuela; Ptari-tepur. B. secunda. 



12. Central and secondary axes flexuous or geniculate; flowers not secund. 

 15. Scape about 3 mm in diameter, its upper bracts 1-2 cm long, re- 

 mote; inflorescence rarely more than bipinnate; leaves few, 

 erect. Venezuela, British Guiana. B. reducta. 



15. Scape much stouter, with larger bracts; inflorescence distinctly 

 tripinnate; leaves many, spreading. Venezuela, Colombia. 



B. hechtioides. 



1. Brocchinia maguirei L. B. Smith, sp. nov. Fig. 22. 



Florifera metralis vel paulo ultra; caule erecto, robusto, 8-15 cm alto, basi- 

 bus vetustis atris foliorum dense vestito; foliis apice caulis rosulatis, 2-3 dm 

 longis, obscure dissiteque lepidotis, vaginis ellipticis, 6-9 cm longis, quam la- 

 minis vix latioribus, basi extrema excepta viridibus, laminis ligulatis, acutis et 

 subulato-incrassatis, 3-6 cm latis, ex sicco crasse coriaceis et pallide viridibus; 

 scapo erecto, gracili, glabro; scapi bracteis erectis, remotis, ex ovato in apicem 

 subulatum acuminatis; inflorescentia angusta, laxe tripinnatim paniculata, 3*"4 

 dm longa, fere glabra; bracteis primariis eis scapi similibus, quam basibus steri- 

 libus nudis ramorum multo brevioribus; ramis divergentibus, gracilibus; spicis 

 laxe paucifloris; bracteis florigeris late ovatis, acutis, 3 mm longis; floribus di- 

 vergentibus, brevissime pedicellatis; sepalis oblongis, obtusis, 5 mm longis; pe- 

 talis 6 mm longis, unguiculatis, laminis ellipticis, obtusis, albis; staminibus 

 inchisis, filamentis cum sepalis petalisque brevissime connatis; ovario perjuve- 

 nili solum cognito, paulo supero; stylis coalitis. 



TYPE: terrestrial, flowers white, common in marshy places in savanna, Cano 

 Negro, 1500 m alt., Cerro Sipapo (Paraque), Amazonas, Venezuela, January 12, 

 1949, B. Maguire & L. Politi 28301. 



The species is also represented by number 28300-A, a small specimen with the same 

 data as the type and by 27817 from Southeast Ridge and savanna terraces, 1800 m alt., 

 and 27950, frequent in marshy savanna, Lower Cano Negro, 1400 m alt. A very old speci- 

 men which is apparently a small narrow-leaved form of the species, is 3. Maguire, J. /. 

 Wurdack and G. S. Bunting 37242, from the summit of Cerro de la' Neblina at 1700-2000 m 

 alt., Rio Yatua, Amazonas, Venezuela. 



2. Brocchinia hitchcockii L. 3. Smith, sp. nov. Fig. 23. 



Epiphyta, verisimiliter acaulis, florifera ca 3 dm alta; foliis suberectis, 2 dm 

 longis, integerrimis, subtus albo-cretaceis, vaginis haud distinctis, supra plus 

 minusve albo-cretaceis; laminis ligulatis, planis, late acutis et apice valde cus- 



