PDF - University Library

BOTANICAL EXPLORATION IN VENEZUELA - I 91
inexact or too general. Thus far, all the material examined by me
from the Venezuelan llanos has globose fruit.
The size of the scales of the fruit, the fruit itself, and the length
of the calyx lobes in Steyermark 57649 are all smaller than stated in
the description of M. flexuosa given by Drude in Mart. Fl. Bras,
(pp. 290-291), but agree with that species better than for any other.
In the absence of typical material of M flexuosa from Surinam, and
from the lack of identifying criteria in Linnaeus *s description, this
Venezuelan collection is probably best treated as a small-fruited
variety of that species, having the same type of globular fruit as is
characteristic of M. flexuosa. From M Minor if differs in its smaller
globose rather than elliptic fruit, smaller fruiting scales, and smaller
calyx lobes, while from M. Corona it differs principally, if Wallace's
description is to be followed literally, in the shape of the fruits,
described in Af. Corona as "slightly ovate".
Dugand (Caldasia 3: 18. 1941) further states that "las informaciones
del Profesor Pittier son suficientemente significativas y
deben aceptarse como terminantes en el sentido de que el moriche
venezolano no corresponde a la descripcion de M. flexuosa*" Since
I have shown above that the globose fruits of my 57649 do correspond,
it is proper to refer them to M. flexuosa as agreeing with the
description for globose fruits.
Socratea albolineata Steyermark, sp. nov.
Caudex solitarius, gracilis, 9-12 m. altus, 7.5-12.5 cm. crassus;
frondibus 2.7 cm. longis, segmentis utrinque 18; rhachi dense pallida
flavido-tomentosa, prope basim 3 cm. crassa; frondibus apice furcatis
paripinnatis, segmentis cuneatis transversim praemorsis; segmentis
majoribus cuneatis, apice oblique maximis 70-90 cm. longis,
10-17 cm. latis, circ. 15-nervatis, infra 10-13 lineis tomentosis
albidis aliter glabris; spadice fructifero 50 cm. longo, basi 5-10 cm.
lato, parte media 2-3 cm. lata, supra 0.5-1 cm. lato et glabriusculo
vel tenuiter parce adpresso-piloso, infra tenuker strigoso; ramis
fructiferis patento-curvatis, 15-35 cm. longis, 5-6 mm. crassis, ad
basim fulvo-tomentosis; vaginis fructiferis indumento tenui cinereo
vestitis, praesertim infimis pilis fuscis brevibus adpressis; perianthio
fructifero glabro; sepalis fructiferis late triangularibus, supra
rotundatis, 4 mm. longis, 7 mm. latis; petalis fructiferis late
depresso-suborbicularibus, 3-5 mm. longis, 11 mm. latis; bacca oblonga
calva glabra pallido-fusca, 2.5 cm. longa, 2 cm. crassa; pericarpio
1 mm. crasso; semine oblongo, 17-18 mm. longo, 13 mm. lato;
embryone apicali vel subapicali; mesocarpio albido furfuraceo, lineis
irregularibus castaneis radiato; endocarpio extus fusco lineis irregularibus
pallido-vel flavido-fuscis anastomosantibus ramificatis.
Frond forked and praemorse at apex with shallow irregular teeth;
larger segments cuneate, obliquely praemorse at apex with irregular
coarse teeth, the margin extended into 6-8 laciniate portions slender-