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134 FIELDIANA: BOTANY, VOLUME 28
60-75 cm. altis, 2-3 mm. crassis, subteretibus, apice dilatatis complanatis
rotundatis, 5-14 mm. latis, pluricostatis; involucre nullo;
floribus fuscis, firme chartaceis, 9-18, sessilibus, 17-20 mm. longis,
5-7 mm. crassis; bracteis 27-28, valde imbricatis, extimis brevissirais
late triangularibus vel ovatis, 4-5 mm. longis, 4-5 mm. latis,
intermediis late ovatis vel ovato-lanceolatis, 6-8 mm. longis, 3-4
mm. latis, intimis lanceolatis vel oblongo-lanceolatis, 14-17 mm.
longis, 4.5-5 mm. latis, omnibus apice abrupte apiculatis vel breve
acuminatis; sepalis 18 mm. longis, unguiculatis, laminis oblongolanceolatis;
petalis lute is, 14 mm. longis, longe unguiculatis,
laminis rhomboideo-subrotundatis", apice abrupte acuminatis; filamentis
2 mm. longis; antheris 7.5-8 mm. longis; stylo filiformi, 10.5
mm. longo; ovario 3-loculari, ovulis in quoque loculo 4-5.
Scapes subterete except at the top which is flattened and ends in
a rounded tip; sepals with blade 15 mm. long and claw 3 mm. long;
petals with blade 10 mm. long, 10 mm. wide, and claw 5 mm. long,
2.5 mm. wide; stamens 6, all fertile; filaments papilla te-areolate
(Fig. 17, a-b).
Type in herb. Chi. Nat. Hist. Mus., collected on Ptari-tepui, in
swamp on open level portion of plateau on southeast-facing slopes,
state of Bolivar, alt. 1600 ra.. November 1, 1944, Julian A* Steyermark
59655; also collected in sandy wet ground with Brocchinia,
Gran Sabana, between Mission of Santa Teresita de Kavanaye'n northwest
to Rio Karuai, on large mesa, state of Bolivar, alt. 1220 m.,
October 26, 1944, Steyermark 59365.
This species is the common one found at the base of and on the
slopes of Ptari-tepuf. It is related to S. pungens Gleason of Mount
Duida, from which it differs in the narrower, more falcate-ens iform
leaves, which are acute instead of obtuse at apex, the heads with
more numerous flowers, which are smaller, narrower, and in usually
two rows instead of one, as in S. pungens, the smaller petals, shorter
filaments, smaller bracts, and more slender, subterete instead of
flattened scapes.