318 



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



Aechmea politii L. D. Smith, sp. nov. Fig. 62. 



Florifera ultra 7 dm alta; foliis 7-10 dm longis, utrinque lepidibus adpressis 

 pallidis vestitis. vaginis ellipticis, amplis, 25-30 cm longis, laminis ligulatis, 

 late acutis vel rotundatis et cuspidato-apiculatis, 8-9 cm latis 9 planis, spinis 

 latis planis ad 7 mm longis laxe armatis; scapo erecto, 7 mm diametro, albo-floc- 

 culoso, mox glabro; scapi bracteis erectis, ellipticis, acutis, quam internodiis 

 multo brevioribus, integris s ex sicco chartaceis, rubris 9 albo-lepidotis; inflores- 

 centia laxe bipinnatim paniculata, 3 dm longa, bracteis primariis exceptis mox 

 glabra; bracteis primariis infimis eis scapi similibus sed majoribus 5 ad 1 1 cm. 

 longis, deflexis, alteris valde abrupteque reductis, eis florigeris similibus; spi- 

 cis divergentibus vel patentibus, basi brevissima nuda inclusa ad 8 cm longis, 

 laxe 8-12-flora, rhachi gracili, geniculata; bracteis florigeris suborbicularibus, 

 apiculatis, planis, minimis; floribus sessilibus, divergentibus; sepalis asymme- 

 tricis, ovatis, obtusis 9 brevissime mucronatis, 7 mm longis; petalis 15 mm longis, 

 basi ligulis binis dentatis auctis; staminibus inclusis; ovario ellipsoideo, 5 mm 

 longo, tubo epigyno brevi sed distincto, placentis centralibus, ovulis caudatis; 

 bacca ex ovario valde incrassato. 



TYPE: epiphyte, open rain forest, vicinity of Base Camp, 150 m alt., Cerro 

 Sipapo (Paraque), Amazonas, Venezuela, November 24, 1948, £. Maguire & L. 

 Politi 27373. 



Number 28784 and its green phase, number 28785, have had their inflorescences 

 nearly ruined by some accident but there is enough left to indicate that they are this spe- 

 cies. They are noted as terrestrial, frequent in mixed forest, Intermediate Camp at 650 m 

 alt., Cerro Sipapo. 



By its large broad coarsely toothed leaves Aechmea politii is quickly distin- 

 guished from the nearly related Ae. schultesiana Mez, and by its remote entire 

 scape-bracts from Ae. nivea L. B. Smith. 



HAEMADORACEAE 



Pyrrorhiza Maguire & Wurdack, gen nov. (Fig. 63.) 



Orbis exterioris stamina staminodiaque nulla. Orbis interioris staminum uni- 

 cum staminodia duabus linearia. Stylus punctiformis; ovarium glabrum liberum; 

 ovula pro loculo dua. 



TYPUS: Pyrrorhiza nehlinae. 



Pyrrorhiza neblinae Maguire & Wurdack, sp. nov. 



Herba cormifera unifoliata. Folium oblineare 30-36 x 0.8-1 cm carnosum 

 glabrum, parte basali vaginante expansa 1-2 cm longa. Inflorescentia uniscaposa 

 scapo basi bractea membranacea 3-5 cm longa vaginante bracteis superioribus 4 

 plusminusve coriacea vel carnosa 2-10 x 0.4—1 cm cum scapo crispo-pubescenti- 

 bus setis subtilibus glanduliferis apicem versus densis. Inflorescentia plano- 

 superata ramis helicoideis cum bracteolis dense glanduloso-villosis. Flores 

 sessili vel brevi ter (ad 3 mm)pedicellati bracteolo unico suffulto, tepalis aequali- 

 bus 12.5-15 x 5.5-6 mm ellipticis obtusis vel late acutis trinervibus intus glabris 

 extus modice vel sparse glanduloso-puberulis praecipue praeter medium, flore 

 ceteroqui glabro. Stamini unici filamentum 3-5-4 mm longum crassum, anthera 

 3 x 1.1 mm biloculare longitudine dehiscente; staminodia linearia 1.7-2.7x0.2 



Explanation of figure 63 



FIG. 63. a-g. Pyrrorhiza neblinae Maguire & Wurdack: a. habit, X b. immature seed, 

 X 2; c. tepal, X 1; d. fertile stamen, X l l / 2 ' y e. staminode, X 5; /. pistil, X l l / 2 ; g. floral 

 diagram, h-o Schiekea orinocensis (H. B.K.) Meissn.: h. flower, X 1/4; z-/. tepals, X 3; k. 

 large stamen, X 1%; 2. small stamen, X 2 l / 2 ; m. staminode, X \ x /i\ n. pistil, X 2 l /a o. floral 

 diagram. 



