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BOTANICAL EXPLORATION IN VENEZUELA - I 121
lous; receptacular bracelets spatulate, about 2 ram. long, about 0.8
mm. wide at the widest point, brown on the upper 1/3, stramineous on
the lower 2/3, densely bearded at and just below the apex on the
back, the remainder glabrous on both surfaces; staminate florets apparently
of 2 types: the fertile type with 3 sepals, separate practically
to the base, oblanceolate, about 1.7 mm. long, 0.4-0.6 mm. wide at
the widest point, navicular, dark-brown, rounded and densely bearded
on the back at the apex, otherwise glabrous and shiny; petals 3, deepbrown,
about 1.3 mm. long, united for 1/2 their length into a narrow
tube, glabrous throughout, the free lobes oblong, involute at the apex;
stamens 3, filaments brown, about 0.6 mm. long, glabrous; anthers
brown, elliptic -oblong, about 0.6 mm. long; the sterile type with 3
obovate -elliptic sepals separate practically to the base, about 1.7
mm. long and 0.8 mm. wide, brownish, long-pilose throughout on the
outer surface, densely bearded at the rounded apex; petals 3, united
into a slender tube about 1.6 mm. long, the free lobes about 0.6 mm.
long, narrow-lanceolate, recurved, thin; filaments 3, erect, heavy,
subspatulate, anantherous; pistillate florets not observed.
Type in herb. New York Botanical Garden, collected in Bonnetia
roraimae forest on the southwest-facing shoulder of Ptari-tepui, state
of Boh'var, alt. 2 000-2200 m., November 2, 1944, Julian A. Steyermark
59748. This puzzling species resembles P. Killipii Moldenke in
general habit and appearance. The collector describes the plant as
having "scapes pale green below, pale salmon above; bracts brownish;
heads white with blackish." It is most remarkable in exhibiting
no pistillate florets in the several heads examined, but having apparently
two types of morphologically staminate florets instead, one
type fertile and the other type anantherous. The species is probably
either dioecious or polygamo-dioecious.
Paepalanthus roraimensis Moldenke, sp. nov.
Herba caulescens; caulibus elongatis 50 cm. longis dense filiosis,
ad apicem dense longeque villosis dein glabrescentibus; foliis subcoriaceis
lanceolatis patentibus ca. 6 cm. longis, 1.3-1.4 cm. latis,
utrinque glabris vel sparsissime pilosis, ad basin longe villosis
multistriatis non fenestratis attenuato-acutis; vaginis anguste cylindricis
ca. 6.5 cjn. longis arete adpressis multistriatis non tortis
sparsissime pilosis; pedunculis ca. 30, 15-20 cm. longis 5-7-costatis
sparse pilosulis vel glabrescentibus tortulis.
Caulescent herb; stems elongated, 50 cm. long or longer, densely
leafy, completely hidden by the leaves except at the base, 5-6 mm.
wide, densely long-villous at the apex, glabrous in age; leaves dullgreen,
subcoriaceous, spreading, lanceolate, about 6 cm. long, 1.3-
1.4 cm. wide near the base, clasping the stem at base, glabrous or
very sparsely pilose on both surfaces except at the long-villous
base, completely glabrous and shiny when mature (except for the
base), many-seriate, not fenestrate, attenuate to the acute apex;
sheaths about equaling the upper leaves, about 6.5 cm. long, narrow-