424 



MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN 



[Vol 9, No. 3 



A small, spreading epiphyte; stem 2 mm thick at the base when dry, the 

 branches ascending 8-10 cm from the decumbent base, rooting from the lower 

 nodes, densely minutely hirtellous, the hairs erect, the internodes 1 cm long 

 toward the base, shorter upward; leaves alternate, elliptic, or the lower obovate, 

 narrowed to the blunt, emarginate apex, or the apex of the lower leaves rounded 

 and retuse, the base acute, 5-8 (-10) mm wide, 1.2-1.8 cm long, "subcoriaceous, 

 rich green above, pale green suffused with rose-orchid below with midrib and 2 

 lateral nerves green" when growing, palmately 3-nerved, glabrous above, paler 

 and hirtellous beneath, at least along the nerves, ciliolate toward the apex, dry- 

 ing brown, subopaque, the petiole very slender hirtellous, mostly 3-7 mm long; 

 spikes terminal and axillary, scarcely 1 mm thick and 2 cm long, "pale green" 

 when growing, the peduncle scarcely more than 5 mm long, glabrous, the bracts 

 round-peltate, the drupe ovoid with oblique apex, the stigma subapical. 



TYPE: VENEZUELA: Bolivar: Chimanta Massif, moist mossy forest, vicinity 

 of camp 4, southwestern edge of Apacara-tepui' epiphyte on moist trunk, alt. 

 1600-1800 m, Apr. 15, 1953, Julian A. Steyermark 75016(F, as sheetno. 1,443,515; 

 NY). 



This species is characterized by its hirtellous stems and emarginulate, 3- 

 nerved leaves which distinguish it from P. calimana Trel. & Yun., P. tafel- 

 bergensis Yun., and P. jamesoniana CDC, species to which it bears some 

 slight resemblance. From the last-named species it also differs in its larger 

 leaves. 



Peperomia wurdackii Yuncker, sp. nov. 



Herba repens epiphytica; caule pergracili crispe pubescenti; foliis alternis 

 ellipticis utrinque acutis supra crispe puberulis glabratisve subtus glabris 

 ciliolatis palmatim 3-nerviis; petiolo glabrato; spicis terminalibus atque in 

 axillibus superis pedunculo glabrato; drupa globoso-ovoidea apice obliqua, 

 stigmatibus subapicalibus. 



A very slender, spreading, epiphytic herb; stem filiform, less than 1 mm thick 

 when dry, freely branching, prostrate and rooting at the nodes, with fertile 

 branches ascending up to about 5 cm, moderately crisp-pubescent, the hairs 

 mostly upwardly curved, the internodes mostly less than 1 cm long; leaves 

 alternate, elliptic, the apex gradually acute or sometimes obtusish, the base 

 acute, 3-6 mm wide, 8-15 mm long, crisp-pubescent glabrescent above, paler and 

 glabrous beneath, ciliolate, palmately 3-nerved, with a very slender submarginal 

 nerve as seen by transmitted light, the midrib delicately branched upward, drying 

 thin*and translucent, the petiole filiform, 2-4 mm long, glabrous, clasping at the 

 base; spikes terminal and axillary, 0.5 mm thick, 3-4 cm long, loosely flowered, 

 the peduncle about 5 mm long, glabrous, the bracts round-peltate, the drupe 

 globose-ovoid with oblique apex and subapical stigma. 



TYPE: VENEZUELA: Bolivar: epiphyte on lower part of tree trunk, occasional 

 on forested slopes below the south rim of savanna plateau, vicinity of Mission 

 Santa Teresita de Kavanayayen, alt. 1200-1300 m, Dec. 11, 1952, Bassett Maguire 

 & John J. Wurdack 33762 (NY). 



The crisp-pubescent, filiform stems and especially the elliptic leaves acute 

 at both ends distinguish this species. It appears to be near P. truncivaga CDC 

 but differs in its smaller leaves and longer spikes. It also bears a resemblance to 

 P. calimana Trel. & Yun., which, however, has somewhat larger leaves that are 

 commonly wider above the middle and rounded-obtuse at the apex. 



