Brocchinia olivaestevae Steyerm. & L.B.Sm.[as Brocchinia olivaestevae Steyerm. & Lyman B. Smith,]

Diagnose: —Planta parva caulescens florifera 3.7 dm alta, caule erecto folioso 13 cm alto: foliorum laminis majoribus ligulato-lanceolatis aculis mucronatis 10 cm longis, 1.7-l.8 cm latis, inferioribus ovatis acuminatis 1.5-2.8 cm longis. 1-1.4 cm latis. ca. 10-nervatis. nervis paullo obscuris: scapo folioso, scapi bracteis lanceolato-ligulatuis 6-8 cm longis. 1.4-1.7 cm latis; inflorescentia erecta laxe bipinnatim paniculata 1.1 dm longa tenui, rhachidi sparsim brunneo-furfuracea obtecta, axibus lateralibus gracillimis racemosis brevibus 3.5-6 cm longis, quoque axe 15-17-flora; bracteis primariis ad 3 cm longis, 0.8 cm latis; bracteis florigeris lanceolatis acutis vel acuminatis 3-3.5 mm longis, 0.7 mm latis; floribus adscendentibus brevipedicellatis, pedicellis 1 - 2 mm longis minute furfuraceis; petalis albidis lanceolatis subacutis vel obtuse acutis haud unguiculatis 3 mm longis, 1 mm latis; antheris suborbiculari-oblongis 0.5 mm longis; ovario inferiore subclavato-cylindrico 3 mm longo; ovulis extremitatibus appendicibus caudatis.

Observations: —This species of Brocchinia is characterized by its bipinnate inflorescence with lepidote, simple, racemose axes, primary bracts extending from ¼ to ½ the length of the rachis, shortly pedicellate flowers, non-unguiculate petals, and narrow submembranous, slightly nerved, short leaves only 10 cm long by 1.8 cm wide, which are not contracted toward the base. It is most closely related to B. cowanii L. B. Smith of Cerro Moriche, Terr. Fed. Amazonas, Venezuela, in having a bipinnate inflorescence with non-unguiculate petals,
but differs from that taxon in the scape bracts shorter than the internodes and in the shorter sepals and petals.

Edited from : Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard.. (protologue) .