1957} 



THE BOTANY OF THE GUAYANA HIGHLAND—PART H 



315 



Yatua, Amazonas, Venezuela, January 16, 1954, B. Maguire, J. ]. VJurdack & G. 

 S. Bunting 37326. 



Vriesia sulcata L. B. Smith, sp. nov. Fig. 58. 



Verisimiliter acaulis, florifera 6 dm alta; foliis 28 cm longis, vaginis late el- 

 lipticis sed quam laminis vix latioribus, 6 cm longis, lepidibus centro brunneis 

 dense indutis, laminis anguste subtriangularibus, acuminatis, 3 cm latis, utrinque 

 obscureque brunneo-punctulatis; scapo leviter curvato, 8 mm diametro; scapi 

 bracteis strictis, dense imbricatis, infimis subfoliaceis, supremis ellipticis, api- 

 culatis; inflorescentia simplicissima, 16-flora, oblonga, 20 cm longa, 5 cm lata, 

 valde complanata; rhachi geniculata, excavata, dissite atro-punctulata; bracteis 

 florigeris suberectis, internodiis subtriplo superantibus sed rhachin haud obte- 

 gentibus, ovatis, acutis, ad 5 cm longis, sepala bene superantibus, ecarinatis, ex 

 sicco subchartaceis sulcatisque, obscure dissiteque atro-punctulatis; floribus per 

 anthesin haud secunde versis; pedicellis crasse obconicis, 5 mm longis, sepalis 

 lanceolatis, obtusis, 30 mm longis, 10 mm latis, ecarinatis, subchartaceis, dense 

 brunneo-lepidotis; petalis ca. 4 cm longis. albis, basi ligulis binis acutis auctis. 



TYPE: frequent on rocks in stream bed, right fork of Cano Yutaje at 1500 m 

 alt., Cerro Yutaje, Serrania Yutaje, Rib Manapiare, Amazonas, Venezuela, Febru- 

 ary 21, 1953, B. & C K. Maguire 35374. 



Apparently Vriesia sulcata is most nearly related to V. chrysostachys E. 

 Morr., but its much larger bracts and flowers and its exposed geniculate rhachis 

 make the differences much more obvious than the similarities. Since the type and 

 only specimen is at anthesis, there is also the possibility of relation to some 

 species where the flowers become secund later, such as V. vexillata L. B. Smith. 

 This latter, however, has a lax inflorescence and sepals that exceed the floral 

 bracts. 



Vriesia fibrosa L. B. Smith, sp. nov. Fig. 59. 



Florifera 5-6 dm alta; foliis multis, rosulatis, 3 dm longis, valde sulcato- 

 nervatis et per aetatem in fibras longas atras persistentes divisis, utrinque lepi- 

 des adpressas brunneas late scarioso-marginatas praeditis, vaginis ovatis, vix 

 distinctis, laminis angustissime triangularibus, acuminatis, ca. 15 mm latis; 

 scapo erecto, 5 mm diametro, glabro; scapi bracteis erectis, ellipticis, infimis 

 angustissime laminatis, supremis quam internodiis brevioribus; inflorescentia 

 laxe 6-7-flora, glabra; rhachi gracili. flexuosa; bracteis florigeris cum floribus 

 secunde versis, late ovatis, obtusis apiculatisque, quam sepalis subduplo bre- 

 vioribus, ecarinatis, tenuibus, nervatis; pedicellis 7 mm longis; floribus ante 

 anthesin erectis dein secundo-patentibus; sepalis anguste ellipticis, obtusis, 25 

 mm longis, ecarinatis, ex sicco chartaceis, nervatis; petalis stamina superanti- 

 bus, basi ligulis binis acutis auctis, laminis ellipticis, obtusis, 10 mm longis, 

 extus rubescens, intus albo-virescens. 



TYPE: terrestrial, frequent along open banks of Lower Cano Negro, 1400 m 

 alt., Cerro Sipapo (Paraque), Amazonas, Venezuela, December 25, 1948, B. Ma- 

 guire & L. Politi 27912. 



Number 28108 collected in the same locality a few days later is the same species. It 

 is noted as frequent on rocks in stream bed. 



This species appears closely allied to V. socialis L. B. Smith, its floral 

 bracts and sepals being almost identical in shape and texture although much 

 smaller. Its scape and rhachis are more slender and a greater proportion of the 

 scape- bracts exceed the internodes than in V. socialis. The most striking dif- 

 ference is in the leaves, judging from additional material of V. socialis, which 

 has a broad, ligulate leaf-blade. 



I 



