Parodiolyra colombiensis, endemic to eastern Colombia, is described and illustrated. It differs from the three currently recognized species of Parodiolyra in its pitted female lemmas and in its 3-nerved lower female glumes. Its filiform female pedicels, thickened rachilla internode between the female glumes, prolongation of the rachilla between the glume and the anthoecium, and small, awnless female spikelets are characters it shares with the previously known species of Parodiolyra. Because Olyra micrantha possesses these last four characters (except its female spikelets are awned), and in addition has a relatively short hilum, it is transferred to Parodiolyra. Because P colombiensis and P micrantha share pitted lemmas, they are believed to be more closely related to each other than to any other species in the genus Parodiolyra. A key to the five species of Parodiolyra is provided. In 1992 Davidse received a grass specimen (Restrepo & Matapi 467) as part of a collection for routine identification that appeared to be an undescribed species of Parodiolyra. The defining characters of the genus Parodiolyra are (Soderstrom & Zuloaga, 1989): (1) female spikelets fall entire by disarticulating below the glumes; (2) female pedicels are filiform, not clavate; (3) a conspicuous, thickened internode is present between the lower and upper glume; (4) there is a prolongation of the rachilla between the upper glume and the anthoecium; (5) the hilum extends for only ?23/4 the length of the caryopsis, not its entire length. The Restrepo & Matapi 467 collection had female spikelets with the first four characters. However, these spikelets were young and without caryopses, which makes it impossible to ascertain the hilum type of the new species. After consultation with Zuloaga, we decided to delay the description of the new species in the hope that we might be able to study more mature female spikelets from a new collection. In the meantime the site of the original collection was revisited early in 1999 by Maria Victoria Arbelaez (HUA) with the intent to re-collect this species. However, she reported (pers. comm.) that the original population had been destroyed in order to expand the airstrip. We were recently able to study duplicates of the original collection, which (although also without caryopses) were more complete and slightly more mature; this allowed us to strengthen our initial conclusions. Since this species grows in a remote area and it may be a long time before it is re-collected, it seems prudent now to report our findings. Even though some uncertainty remains about its generic classification, since we do not know its hilum type, we now name it in order to make this undoubtedly previously undescribed species available. Parodiolyra colombiensis Davidse & Zuloaga, sp. nov. TYPE: Colombia. Caquett: Regi6n de Araracuara, alrededores de la pista adrea, 00.25'S, 72.30'W, 200-300 m, 11 Nov. 1991, hierba, raquillas de la infrutescencia moradas, frutos verdes, D. Restrepo & A. Matapi 467 (holotype, COAH-017796; isotypes, COAH020068, MO-05102566). Figures 1, 2. Gramen perenne, monoecium; culmis superis nodis ramificantibus; laminae ovatae-lanceolatae, 8-14.5 cm longae, 1.7-3.6 cm latae, glabratae, basi asymmetricae; pseudopetioli 0.2 mm longi. Inflorescentiae paniculatae, laxae, 6-10 cm longae. Spiculae femineae ellipsoideae, 4-5 mm longae, 1.3 mm latae, glumis inter se inaequalibus; gluma infera 3-nervia, nervis tessellatis; gluma supera 5-nervia, nervis tessellatis; anthoecia ellipsoidea, 3.4 mm longa, 1.4 mm lata, excavata; lemma 5-nervium, apice pilosum; palea 2-nervia. Spiculae masculae lanceolatae, 4 mm longae, 0.7 mm latae, scabrae; lemma 3-nervium, acuminatum; palea 2-nervia, stamina 3. Perennial monoecious herb. Culms branching at the upper nodes; internodes cylindrical, 3-7 cm long, rigid, hollow, glabrous; nodes shortly pubescent or glabrous, dark, compressed. Sheaths striate, one margin ciliate, otherwise glabrous; auricles membranous, up to 4 mm long, brownish, the marNovoN 9: 587-591. 1999. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.136 on Thu, 19 May 2016 06:11:23 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms