1957] 



BOTANY OF THE CHIMANTA MASSIF— I 



437 



obtusis 10-12 mm longis extus circa apicem laxe ferrugineo-lanulosis aliter 

 glabris, corollis rosaceis; achaeniis 5-6 mm longis, glabris; pappo 7.5-8 mm 

 longo, plerumque purpureo. 



TYPE: rocky slopes around zanjones between east and west branches of 

 headwaters of Rio Tirica, Central Section, Chimanta Massif, Bolivar, Venezuela, 

 2185 m aJt., February 12, 1955, Julian A. Steyermark & John J. Wurdack 756 

 (holotype F). Paratypes: same data as above, Steyermark & Wurdack 755 (NY); 

 east central portion of summit of Apacara-tepui, Chimanta Massif, 2450-2500 m 

 alt., June 21-22, 1953, Steyermark 75913 (F, NY). 



Gongylolepis fruticosa Maguire, Steyermark & Wurdack, sp. nov. 



Frutex 0.2-0.5-metralis, ramis divaricatis glabris denudatis, caulibus juveni- 

 libus subincrassatis glabris, 2.5-4 mm diam., internodiis 5-10 mm longis; foliis 

 subtus pallide viridibus coriaceis apice caulium principalium rosulato-confertis 

 sessilibus patentibus oblanceolatis acutiusculis vel subobtusis sensim ad basim 

 cuneatis, 4-6 cm longis 1.5-2 cm latis, glabris basi ipsa dilatata excepta stri- 

 gosis, subtus sulcatis parce penninerviis nervis lateralibus inconspicuis utroque 

 latere 3-4, subtus valde reticulato-venosis costa media prominenti, foliis caulium 

 juvenilium elongatorum alternis adscendentibus paullo minoribus omnino glabris; 

 capitulis solitariis campanulatis terminalibus sessilibus, ca. 2 cm longis 1.3 cm 

 latis; phyllariis firmiter membranaceis 12-18 gradatis 5-seriatis ciliolatis apice 

 subscariosis, exterioribus late ovatis apice rotundatis, 4-9 mm longis 5-6 mm 

 latis, medianis interioribusque angustate oblongis vel oblanceolatis apice 

 rotundatis, 12-16 mm longis 3-5 mm latis; receptaculo subplano paullo alveolato, 

 ca. 4 mm diam. medio pilis paucibus albidis 0.5-1 mm longis praeditis aliter 

 glabro epaleaceo; floribus ca. 10, bilabiatis homogamis, corollis albidis, 18-19 

 mm longis, tubo infundibuliformi, 8 mm longo, extus puberulo, lobo posteriore 

 (exteriore) elliptico-oblongo, 11 mm longo 5 mm lato, glabro 3-dentato dentibus 

 ovato-oblongis obtusis ad 1.5 mm longis 0.6 mm latis duobus minoribus, lobo 

 anteriore (interiore) 2-partito, segmentis linearibus subacutis valde revolutis 8.5 

 mm longis 0.5-0.8 mm latis glabris; antheris purpureis, 7.5 mm longis, caudicibus 

 linearibus subacutis, 2 mm longis, liberis; filamentis in orificio tubi affixis; 

 stylo ramulis divaricatis apicibus rotundatis recurvatis; pappo f us co-stramin co- 

 ll mm longo, adscendenti barbellato; achaeniis immaturis nigrescenti-fuscis, 

 7.5-8 mm longis, glabris, annulo brevissimo. 



TYPE: edge of plunge basin of waterfall, southeast-facing forested slopes 

 below escarpment, Agparaman-tepui, Chimanta Massif, Bolivar, Venezuela, 1880- 

 1955 m alt., February 26, 1955, Julian A. Steyermark & John J. Wurdack 1136 

 (holotype, NY; isotype, F). 



Known only from the type locality, G. fruticosa represents the ultimate reduc- 

 tive stage in Gongylolepis as it is known at this time. Habitally it is similar to 

 the next, and suggests the evolutionary line through which the monotypic genus 

 Achnopogon may have been derived. 



G. fruticosa belongs to the subsection Erioclada, in which it seems to be 

 most closely related to G. erioclada, but differs most obviously in its lack of 

 pubescence and narrowly oblanceolate leaves, which in the latter species are 

 elliptic or obovate and non-cuneate. 



Achnopogon Maguire, Steyermark & Wurdack, gen. nov. 



Capitula parva, in cymis lateralibus dispositis, 3-5-floris, homogamis, 

 floribus bilabiatis; involucro campanulato-cylindrico; phyllariis nonnihil gradatis, 

 obovatis vel oblanceolatis, coriaceis, ad apicem valde barbatis; receptaculo 



