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BOTANICAL EXPLORATION IN VENEZUELA - I 141
The following key summarizes the distinctions discussed above:
1. Seeds broad, a late; capsule primarily loculicidal; petals
strongly spirally twisted together after anthesis
Puya
1. Seeds narrow, caudate or apiculate; capsule septicidal (unknown
in Cottendorfia) or sometimes about equally both; petals
not twisted together after anthesis.
2. Seeds or ovules merely apiculate; placentae basal.
Cottendorfia
2. Seeds long-caudate; placentae usually extending almost the
height of the cell.
3. Petals white, colorless, separate after anthesis; sepals
not over 5 mm. long, thin, flat; plants slender.
Lindmania
3. Petals brightly colored, more or less massed together
after anthesis but not twisted; sepals larger and firmer;
plants relatively robust
Connellia
Connellia nutans L. B. Smith, sp. nov.
Dense aggregata, plus minusve caulescens (?), planta fructifera
metralis vel ultra; foliis multis, caulem quaquaverse denseque vestientibus,
ca. 3 dm. longis, vaginis amplis, basi medioque integris,
dissite perobscureque punctulatis, brunneis, lucidis, laminis anguste
triangularibus, a cumin at is, ad 3 cm. latis, basi extrema dentibus ad
2 mm. longis dense armatis alibi integris, infimis delapsis; scapo
decurvato, 14 mm. diametro, scapi bracteis erectis, dense imbricatis,
subfoliaceis sed omnino inermibus; inflorescentia bipinnatim paniculata,
2-7 dm. longa, 8-12 cm. diametro, subthyrsoidea, glabra; bracteis
primariis e late ovato acuminatis; ramis strictis, gracilibus,
floriferis brevibus sed fructiferis ad 18 cm. longis et bracteas multo
superantibus; bracteis florigeris oblongo-lanceolatis, 17 mm. longis f
brunneis, tenuibus; pedicellis gracillimis, 10 mm. longis; sepalis
ellipticis, obtusis, 14 mm. longis, carinatis, brunneis, lucidis;
petalis bene unguiculatis roseis, lamina suborbiculari; staminibus
styloque inclusis; ovario supero; seminibus caudatis (Fig. 20c-f).
Type collected along base of east-facing high sandstone bluffs,
Ptari-tepuf, state of Bolivar, alt. 2410-2450 m., November 7, 1944,
Julian A. Steyermark 59933', common type on bluffs, in dense mats.
The flower and seed of Connellia nutans closely resemble those of
C Augustae, but the deflexed inflorescence of the former quickly
distinguishes it. Also even in fruit the branches of C.Augustae are
very short. Steyermark 59611, from south-facing high sandstone
bluffs, Ptari-tepui, October 30, 1944, alt. 2400-2410 m.. is sterile,
but so closely resembles the type of C. nutans that it seems very
likely that it is the same species.