1957] 



THE BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLAND— PART II 



299 



supremis scapi similibus, quam basibus sterilibus ramorum multo brevioribus; ra- 

 mis divergentibus, ultra 5 dm longis, laxe ramosis, basi sterili elongata, 4-7 brac- 

 teata; bracteis secundariis ovatis, acuminatis, pedunculos spicium paulo super- 

 antibus; spicis arcuato-patentibus, densissime cylindricis, 4-6 cm longis; brac- 

 teis florigeris late ovatis, acuminatis, sepala superantibus, basi carinatis, ob- 

 scure serrulatis; pedicellis obconicis, brevibus; sepalis liberis, late ellipticis, 

 acutis, 6 mm longis, coriaceis, posterioribus alato-carinatis; petalis 11 mm long- 

 is; staminibus inclusis; ovario supero; capsula globosa, quam sepalis subduplo 

 breviore; seminibus paucis, nudis vel angustissime alatis. 



TYPE: inflorescence paniculate, to 4 m tall, caudex to 1 m high, 3 cm diam- 

 eter, frequent on dry rocky lower slopes at 200 m alt., Cerro Moriche, Rio Ven- 

 tuari> Amazonas, Venezuela, January 16, 1951 5 B. Maguire, R, S. Cowan & J. J. 

 Wurdack 30970. Also collected here on March 9 S 1953, B. & C. K. Maguire 35535. 



I regard this as a primitive type in a genus which has evolved by reduction of 

 floral axes and loss of seed-appendages. 



4. Navia brocchinioides L. B. Smith, sp. nov. Fig. 29. 



Caulescens ad 1 m, florifera 5 m alta; foliis ultra 1.5 m longis, vaginis vix 

 distinctis, late ovatis, 11 cm latis, integris, pallido brunneis, subtus adpresse 

 lepidotis, laminis linearibus, acuminatis, glabris, supra basin paulo angustatis, 

 basi extrema spinis uncinatis atris 3 mm longis subdense armatis, alibi integerri- 

 mis; scapo 3 cm vel ultra diametro; scapi bracteis erectis, foliaceis, dense imbri- 

 catis; inflorescentia laxissime 4-pinnatim paniculata; bracteis primariis anguste 

 triangularibus, quam basibus sterilibus nudis ramorum brevioribus; ramis ad 53 

 cm longis; spicis subdense multifloris, ad 26 cm longis; bracteis florigeris e late 

 ovato acuminatis, infimis sepala subaequantibus; floribus patentibus, subsessili- 

 bus; sepalis liberis, cochleari-imbricatis, late ovatis, obtusis, 3.5 mm longis, 

 posterioribus carinatis; petalis 6 mm longis; staminibus inclusis; ovario supero, 

 crasse ovoideo, stylo elongato. 



TYPE: terrestrial, infrequent in sabanita along granite outcrop, streamside, 

 650 m alt., Cerro Sipapo (Paraque), Amazonas, Venezuela, February 6, 1949, B. 

 Maguire & L. Politi 28787. 



5. Navia hechtioides L. B. Smith, sp. nov. Fig. 30. 



Florifera 3 m alta; foliis fere 1 m longis, vaginis brevibus, 6 cm latis, inte- 

 gris, pallide adpresseque lepidotis, laminis linearibus, 4 cm latis, basi nullo 

 modo angustaris, in apicem crassum pungentem acuminatis, spinis subrectis atris 

 3 mm longis laxe armatis, supra mox glabris, subtus minutissime albo-lepidotis; 

 scapo ignoto; inflorescentia laxissime tripinnatim paniculata, glabra; bracteis 

 primariis late ovatis, cuspidato-acutis 9 quam basibus sterilibus nudis elongatis 

 ramorum multo brevioribus; ramis patentibus; spicis patentibus, laxifloris; rhachi 

 valde angulata; bracteis florigeris late ovatis, acutis, quam sepalis brevioribus; 

 floribus patentibus, brevissime crasseque pedicellatis; sepalis cochleari-imbri- 

 catis, late ovatis, 10 mm longis, posterioribus alato-carinatis; petalis incomple- 

 tis solum cognitis; ovario supero, crasse ovoideo; seminibus angustissime alatis, 

 alis deciduis. 



TYPE: open scrub savanna, Campo Grande, 1500 m alt., Cerro Sipapo (Para- 

 que), Amazonas, Venezuela, December 10, 1948, B. Maguire & L> Politi 27574. 



7. Navia stenodonta L. T3. Smith, sp. nov. Fig. 31. 



Humilis; foliis 2 dm longis, pilis albis minutissimis dissite vestitis, vaginis 

 brevibus, late ovatis, brunneis, laminis lineari-oblongis, acutis vel acuminatis, 

 pungentibus, 3 cm latis, spinis patentibus gracilibus pallidis 4 mm longis sub- 



