422 



MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN 



[Vol. 9, No. 3 



alt., March 1-3, 1947, K. D. Phelps & C. B. Hitchcock 67. On tree trunks, occasional in 

 scrub forest 1-3 km north of Cumbre Camp at 1700-1800 m, alt., Cerro de la Neblina, 

 Rio Yatua, January 10, 1954, B. Maguire, J. J. Wurdack & G. S. Bunting 37224. BRAZIL: 

 Branco: Humirida Mountains, 1863-64, Appun 1416. Slopes of Mount Roraima at 2100 m 

 alt., January 1910, Vie 8558 (type of Tillandsia multi folia Mez). 



I have taken advantage of the opportunity to retypify this taxon from more 

 familiar material on changing the category to which it belongs. 



Piper ace ae 36 



Piper deminutum Yuncker, sp. nov. 



Suffrutex ligno molli glaber nodosus; foliis oblongo-lanceolatis, apice sensim 

 longe acuminatis, basi subinaequilateraliter acutis a medio infero pinnatim 

 venosis, nerviis utrinque ca. 3-4 seorsum laqueatis; petiolo ad medium vel ultra 

 vaginato-alato; bracteis triangulari-subpeltatis margine conferte luteo-fimbriatis; 

 drupa glabra obpyramidali-trigona; stigmatibus parvis sessilibus. 



A small, softwooded, glabrous, nodose, rhizomatous shrub up to 50 cm (or 

 occasionally 1.5 m) tall, the twigs slender; leaves oblong-lanceolate, with 

 gradually long-acuminate, subapiculate apex and equilateral or more commonly 

 inaequilaterally acute base, 1.3-2 (-4) cm wide, 8-11 (-15) cm long, pinnately 

 nerved from below the middle, the nerves about 3 or 4 on each side, abruptly 

 curved and loop-connected upward, with slender nervules cross-connecting with 

 the midrib to near the tip, drying thin, translucent, finely pellucid-dotted, the 

 petiole from 5 mm long above to 2 or sometimes 3 cm long on the lower leaves, 

 vaginate-winged to the middle or above; spikes 3 mm thick, 2-3 (-5) cm long, the 

 peduncle slender, to 2 cm long, the bracts triangular-subpeltate, strongly yellow- 

 fringed, the drupe glabrous, strongly obpyramidal- trigonous, with depressed- 

 truncate apex, the stigmas small, sessile. 



Distribution: Western British Guiana and southeastern Venezuela. 



TYPE: VENEZUELA: Bolivar: Uaipan-tepui, bush about 0.5 m tall, in wet 

 forest near waterfall, alt. 1400 m, Jan. 27, 1948, Kathleen D. Phelps & Charles 

 B. Hitchcock 356 (NY). 



VENEZUELA: Bolivar: Chimanta Massif, rich rainforest on lower northwestern slopes 

 of Abacapa-tepul, vicinity of Camp 1 along Rio Abacapa, subherbaceous, spikes ascend- 

 ing, white, turning green, at first 2 mm thick, becoming 3 mm thick, leaves membranous, 

 erect, dark green above, pale green below, alt. 420 m, Mar. 30-31, 1953, Julian A. 

 Steyermark 74768 (F; NY); forested slopes, along trail between Camp 2 and Camp 3, 

 northwestern part of Abacapa-tepui, along stream vicinity of Camp 2, leaves firmly 

 membranous, dark green above, pale green below; spikes ascending, whitish, alt. 750- 

 1100 m, Apr. 5, 1953, Julian A. Steyermark 74840 (F; NY); along southwest-facing sand- 

 stone bluffs of Chimanta-tepui (Torono-tepui ) near southern corner, herb by waterfall, 

 leave's subcoriaceous, deep green above, pale green below; spikes erect, buff-green, 3 mm 

 in diameter; stems 3-5 mm in diameter, swollen at nodes to 8 mm, alt. 1700 m, May 19-20, 

 1953, Julian A Steyermark 75485 (F; NY); Steyermark Falls (Steyermark-Meru) on upper 

 reaches of Rio Tirica (left-hand fork), separating eastern part of Apacara-tepui from 

 western part of Chimanta-tepui (Torono-tepui), alt. 1700-1750 m, July 3, 1953, Julian A. 

 Steyermark 76019 (F; NY); along Rio Tirica (Rio Aparuren) just above Techine-meru, 

 herbaceous, leaves dull green above, pale green below; inflorescence erect, whitish, 

 3 mm diam., frequent in middle gorge forest, alt. 470 m, Jan. 16, 1955, Julian A. Steyer- 

 mark & John J. Wurdack 119 (F; NY) (this specimen is reported as being up to 1.5 m tail 

 but it otherwise agrees well with the other specimens cited); Torono-tepui, vicinity of 

 Lower Falls of Rio Tirica, on northwest side of falls, locally frequent; leaves ascend- 

 ing, membranous, dull green above, silvery green below tinged dull lavender basally; 

 petioles dull madder; stem deep purple, 2.5 mm diam., enlarged at nodes; peduncles 

 erect, dull lavender, 1 m diam.; spikes erect, creamy white, 2 mm diam., alt. 1000-1090 

 m, Mar. 6, 1955, Julian A. Steyermark & John J. Wurdack 1277 (F; NY). 



By T. G. Yuncker. 



