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BOTANICAL EXPLORATION IN VENEZUELA - I 163
Locally known as "Bijau", the leaves of this plant are reported
to be used in wrapping a type of tamale here called "hallaca".
The fruiting bracts with their fine lacy network impart to this
species a most unusual aspect. If they are a normal and natural
feature, then the species may be considered as the most extraordinary
one of the genus. Examination by high power microscope
reveals that the skeletal tissue is a left-over one, originally covered
by parenchymatous cellular tissue. However, the parenchyma appears
to be very thin, whereas the fibro-vascular network accounting
for the unusual lace-like skeleton of the bracts, is exceptionally
strong and persists in fruit as the characteristic gross morphological
feature of the bract.
The species is further distinguished by the densely, fine pubescent
naked flowering scape arising at the base of the plant, the
large broadly orbicular bracts, in which at least the lowest ones are
villosulous on the outer surface, the large inflorescences, and the
large orbicular-ovate or broadly ovate leaves.
Calathea Lasseriana Steyermark, sp. nov.
Folia ad 22 cm. longa; petiolis longissime vaginatis fere ad
articulum, vaginis raerabranaceis infra medium 8 mm. latis, petioli
parte superiore 5-6 mm. longa, 4-5 mm. crassa, subtereti callosa,
supra pilosulis; iaminis inaequilateralibus supra viridibus infra
argenteo-viridibus membranaceis obovato-ellipticis abrupte et breviter
acuminatis, basi obtusis, 20-30 cm. longis, 8-16 cm. latis,
glabris; inflorescentia sessili terminal!, inferne foliorum basibus
cincta; spica anguste ovata, 3.5 cm. longa; bracteis 2.5-3 cm. longis,
circum apicem minute puberulis, aliter glabris; floribus pallidoflavidis;
sepalis linearibus obtusis, 11-12 mm. longis, 1.5 mm. latis,
glabris; corollae tubo cylindrico, 12 mm. longo, 1.5 mm. crasso,
pubescent! pilis adscendentibus; lobis exterioribus oblanceo latis,
acutiusculis, 9 mm. longis, 3 mm. latis; ovario glabro.
Type in herb. Chi. Nat. Hist. Mus., collected in forest near Base
River (Cano Negro), at southeastern base of Cerro Duida, Territorio
Federal Amazonas, alt. 215 m., August 23, 1944, Julian A. Steyermark
57920, "terrestrial; flowers creamy-yellow; leaves silvery gray
green below, rich deep green above with sulcate nerves."
This species is apparently related to C. mishuyacu Macbr., known
only from near Iquitos, Peru. Our collection differs from the type of
that species (Klug 416) in its sessile, instead of subsessile inflorescence,
broader more membranous sheaths of the petioles, the
sheaths of the petioles extending to the junction of the leaf blade
instead of ending below the callus as in C. mishuyacu, the shorter
broader callus at the top of the petiole, the leaf blades more rounded
at the base, and the shorter bracts.
It is also related to C. propinqua (Poepp. & Endl.) Koernicke of
Surinam and Brazil, and to C. exscapa (Poepp. & Endl.) Koernicke