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BOTANICAL EXPLORATION IN VENEZUELA - I 69
mascula anguste linear!, 11-17 mm. longa,
1 mm. lata; bracteis 2,
longe aristatis, bractea superiore 18 mm. longa, breve vaginata,
bractea inferiore 17-25 mm. longa, vagina 6.5 mm. longa; glumis
masculis ovatis, acumlnatis, 3 mm. longis, 1.2-2 mm. latis; glumis
foemineis late ovatis vel lanceolatis, breve acuminatis vel longe
aristatis, 3.5-7 mm. longis, 1.5 mm. latis, apice et marginibus superioribus
parce setulosis, a liter glabris; stigmatibus 3; perigyniis
obscure trigonis, lanceolato-ellipticis, breve stipitatis, 2-angulatis,
14-nervatis, longe rostratis, 3.75 mm. longis, 1 mm. latis, glabris,
ore bidentato; achaenio (immature) ellipcico-oblongo, longe stipitato.
Leaves finely many-nerved, bases of the blades many-nerved and
becoming fibrillose in age; spike pseudolateral, the staminate portion
small, densely flowered, 5 mm. long, pistillate portion rather laxly
flowered, 8-11 mm. long; staminate scales purplish-castaneous on
outer margins, yellowish-green along midrib and central part, the
margins incurved; lowest pistillate scales long-ari state, the awn
3-3.5 mm. long and setulose on margins, all the scales 3-nerved, castaneous
on outer margins, pale green along midrib and central part;
stigmas short, about 1.5 mm. long; perigynia firmly membranaceous,
with nerves raised on surface; achene (immature) about filling the
perigynium, laterally compressed (Fig. 8, i-m).
Type in herb. Chi. Nat. Hist. Mus., collected on limestone outcrops
of Paramo de Tama', near Colombian-Venezuelan boundary,
state of Ta'chira, alt. 3045-3475 m., July 15, 1944, Julian A. Steyermark
57367.
A member of the subgenus Primocarex, as defined by Kukenthal,
on account of the single terminal spike.
It is a member of either
section Circinatae or section Unciniae formes, but it is difficult to
state whether the pistillate scales are quickly caducous or not.
From C. anthoxanthea Presl and C. circinata C. A. Mey., of northern
North America, this is distinguished by the cespitose rhizomes,
acuminate pistillate and staminate scales, and short rigid leaves,
while among the members of the section Unciniae formes its relationship
would be closest to the bracteate-spiked subsection Aciculares,
as defined by Kukenthal, and especially close to C. vallis pulchrae
Phil, of Chile and Argentina because of the 3 stigmas. From this
last species it differs in its narrowly linear, longer spike, and
straight, not curved, culms.
The outstanding characters of this new species are the combination
of the narrowly linear, single, terminal, androgynous spike, 2-
bracteate erect culms, short, erect, rigid, canaliculate, setulosemargined
and channelled leaves, relatively long, bidentate beaks,
glabrous, prominently nerved perigynia, short acuminate scales
which are minutely setulose on upper margins and tips, and densely
cespitose habit.