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80 FIELDIANA: BOTANY, VOLUME 28
Pinnae chartaceous, deep green above, dull green below, irregularly
but closely disposed, proximate, sigmoid, the apex upwardly
curved and long-acuminate, the terminal pair, and sometimes the
lowest pair, the longest, the midrib prominent, but shifting from
central to the other side near the ends of the pinnae, primary ribs
1-2 on each side; spathe furfuraceous, becoming glabrescent; drupe
green, filled with a homogeneous seed.
Type in herb. Chi. Nat. Hist. Mus., collected in woods bordering
savanna, along Rio Karuai, at base of Sororopan-tepui, west of La
Laja, state of Bolivar, alt. 1220 m., November 29, 1944, Julian A.
Steyermark 60781.
Local name: "Moy-ye-ki-yek". A game
is sometimes played with
the stems of this species. An Indian that can pull the tough stem
from the ground thereby gives proof of his strength or force.
This species is related to Yuyba Maguirei Bailey (Bailey, L. H.
Bull. Torr. Bot. Club 75: 106. 1948.) = Bactris Maguirei (Bailey)
Steyermark, comb. nov. I cannot agree with Bailey that these diminutive
palms should constitute a genus distinct from Bactris. The
dwarfing of general stature, together with its associated smaller size
of spathe, peduncle, and reduction of spines on the trunk, should not
be regarded as generic characters. They might, on the other hand, be
considered as setting off a distinct section within the genus. Both
Yuyba and Bactris have 6 stamens, and Bactris may have even 9
or 12.
From B, Maguirei this new species differs in its more densely
brown-scurfy leaf rachis, the tips and upper margins of the pinnae
more closely black-setulose, the shorter spathe and spadix, the
more closely crowded pinnae, and the somewhat shorter spines of the
stem and leaf sheath.
From B. microspadix Burret, it may be distinguished by the smaller
peduncle of the inflorescence, the shorter petiole not spiny at base,
and the shorter spathe and pinnae, while the simple spadix, brownfurfuraceous
leaf rachis, and the number of pairs of pinnae differentiates
it from B. microspatha Barb. It is closely related to B.
mitis, which, however, has a 2-3-fid spadix with glabrous rachis, an
unarmed leaf sheath and rachis, and 6,8-10 pairs of pinnae not as
closely set together as in, fi. sororopanae. From the closely related
B. paucisecta Burret of British Guiana, the new species differs in
the tomentose or furfuraceous rachis, shorter spadix, narrower and
shorter apical leaf segment, and less number of primary nerves.
Bactris venezuelensis Steyermark, sp. nov.
Caudex 3 m. altus, supra 1.5 cm. crassus; frondis vagina fuscotomentosa
furfuracea, aculeis brevibus tenuibus nigris instructa;
petiolo 20-27 cm. longo infra pallido-tomentoso-furfuraceo, aculeis
nigris supra longioribus 3-4 cm. longis, infra brevioribus numerosis
0.6-2.2 cm. longis armato; rhachi 28 cm. longa, 4-5 mm. crassa,