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BOTANICAL EXPLORATION IN VENEZUELA - I 131
media prominent! incrassata, 7-10nervis uno latere, 10-12 nervis alio
latere; scapis elongatis tenuissimis, 40-45 cm. longis, 1 mm. crassis,
glabris, paucisulcato-striatis, apice paullo dilatatis; involucre nullo
nisi bracteis 3 infimis quam vicinis multo longioribus; floribus 1 vel
2 infrequente 4; bracteis brunneis, extimis 3 vel 4 membranaceis
majoribus inaequalibus anguste lanceolatis longe acuminatis, 14-18
mm. longis, 3 mm. latis, intermediis 11 brevioribus anguste lanceolatis,
longe acuminatis (exterioribus) vel late lanceolatis vel ovatis,
breve- vel longe-acuminatis ( interiorib us), 6.5-7 mm. longis, 2.5-3
mm. latis (interioribus) ad 8-9 mm. longis, 2-3 mm. latis (exterioribus);
sepalis unguiculatis, laminis in anthesi exsertis erectis lanceolatis
acutis; petalis unguiculatis, laminis suborbicularibus, apice subacutis;
filamentis lineari-subulatis, 6 mm. longis, in parte inferiore
paullo latioribus; antheris lineari-subulatis, 10 mm. longis, poro
terminali introrso dehiscentibus; ovario late ovoideo, 2 mm. longo;
stylo filiformi, 11 mm. longo; ovulis in quoque loculo 8-10; capsula
4-5 mm. longa; seminibus rhomboideo-oblongis, purpureo-brunneis,
1.5 mm. longis, circiter 20-costatis, striis reticulatis.
Sheaths thin, membra naceous, finely nerved, rounded or obtuse at
summit; leaves somewhat asymmetric, broader in middle part, narrowed
at each end, deep green above, pale green below, midrib prominent
and thickened on one side, the nerves on either side of midrib prominent
only on one surface (lower), unequal in number; scapes very
slender and elongated; the three outermost bracts foliaceous, unequal
and elongated, equaling the flower; sepals brown, the blades rigid,
chartaceous, cucullate-incurved, 12-13 mm. long, 4.5-5 mm. wide, the
claw membranaceous, oblong-rhomboid, slightly enlarged at junction
with blade, 4 mm. long, 3 mm. wide, 7-nerved; petals deep yellow,
the blade suborbicular, abruptly narrowed to subacute tip, 16 mm.
long, 14 mm. wide, the claw 5 mm. long, 2 mm. wide; fertile stamens
3-5, one to three of them becoming partly or completely petaloid;
filaments slightly broader in lower half, 6 mm. long, 1.1 mm. wide
near base;ovary with 3 cells, 8-10 ovules in each cell (Fig. 17, c-e).
Type in herb. Chi. Nat. Hist. Mus., collected on moist fluffs
of
Cerro Duida, southeastern-facing sandstone bluffs near Cano Negro
(tributary of Cano Iguapo), Territorio Federal Amazonas, alt. 1095-
1520 m., August 26, 1944, Julian A. Steyermark 58040.
This species is remarkable for the elongated foliaceous outer
bracts of the heads. In its slender filiform it
peduncles resembles
S. Allenii Steyermark of Panama, but that has the leaf sheaths tapering
rather than abruptly rounded at the summit, while, moreover, in
S. Allenii the flowers are much smaller and the bracts are strongly
imbricate.
Stegolepis Gleasoniana appears to be related to S. pauciflora
Gleason, from which it differs in the shorter sepals and petals, more
slender, almost filiform scapes, which are much narrower- below the
heads than in 5. pauciflora, elongated membranaceous outermost 3-4