PRESENTED BY PUBLICATIONS OF THE FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BOTANICAL SERIES Volume II Chicago, U. S. A. 1900-1916.* *For actual dates of issue of each paper see Table of CoatcQts. Ftp:t.d Cot.umbtan Museum Publication 50. Botanical Series. Vol. II, No. PLANTS UTOWAN^ PLANTS COLLECTED IN BERMUDA, PORTO RICO, I THOMAS, CULEBRAS, SANTO DOMINGO, JAMAICA, CUBA, THE CAYMANS, COZUMEL, YUCA- TAN AND THE ALACRAN SHOALS. DEC. 1898 TO MAR. 1899. THE ANTILLEAN CRUISE OF THE YACHT UTOWANA. Mr. Allison V. Armour, Owner and Master. BY Charles Frederick Mtllspaugii, M.D. Curator Department of Botany. Chicaco, V. S. A. August, 1900. RECONSIDERATION OF THE CYPERACE/E.* In working over the Cyperaceae preparatory to the publication of a Flora of Yucatan — from which region many of the Utowana speci- mens were derived — and carefully considering each species intended for insertion in that work, a few discrepancies in the classification of the material presented on pages 28-30 became evident, rendering a reconsideration necessary. As all of the specific descriptions in the proposed Yucatan Flora are planned to be based upon the characters of the fruits, I find it convenient to present this revision in the form intended to be used in that publication. While I sincerely regret the necessity of differing with Mr. C. B. Clarke, in his excellent monograph of the Antillean Cyperaceae, in Prof. Urban's Symbole, yet, the impossibility of distinguishing with certainty the seeds of Cyperus, Torulinium and Mariscus by any con- stant character, confirms the opinion that Mariscus and Torulinium are but sections of Cyperus, and that the single character: the separa- tion of the fruits from the rachilla, or the rachilla from the rachis, is not sufficient to be classed as generic ; especially as this character also intermixes to some extent. CYPERACE.F:. Grass-like or rush-like herbs. Inflorescence in solitary or clus- tered i-many flowered spikelets; flowers perfect or imperfect, i or rarely 2 in the axil of each scale; scales 2-ranked or spirally imbri- cated. Perianth hypogynous, composed of interior scales or bristles. Stamens 1-3, rarely more. Ovary i-celled, sessile or stipitate, ovule I, anatropous, erect, style 2-3-cleft or minutely 2-toothed, rarely sim- ple. Fruit a plano-convex, lenticular, tri-lateral or sub-globose achene: * In this work 1 have been al)Iy assisted by Mrs. Airnes Chase, an enthusiastic and careful phytologist, to whom I am indebted for the drawings and much of tlie descriptive matter here presented. 113 114 Field Columbian Museum — Botany, Vol. 2. Achenes bilateral, styles 2-cleft: Plano-convex JuncellUvS Bi-convex — Non-tuberculate Fimbristylis Tuberculate, perianth, none Dichromena perianth bristles Heleocharis Achenes trilateral, styles 3-cleft Cvperus Achenes subglobose, styles 3-cleft Scleria JUNCELLUS (§ Griseb.) C. B. Clarke. Inflorescence capitate. Fertile flowers bi-sexual; scales distich- ous, lower 2 empty, persistent; spikelets many-flowered; rachilla per- sistent, bristles none. Stamens 2. Style 2-cleft. Achenes plano- convex, dorsally compressed. JuNCELLUs L^viGATUS (L.) C. B. Clarke in Urb. Symb. Antill. 2:21. Cyperus IcEvigatiis Linn. Bracts 2, the lower erect, 5-10 cm. long; upper usually horizontal, 1-4 cm. long. Heads pale-green turning to chestnut, about 8 x 10 mm.; congested spikelets 1-20, oblong, compressed, 2 x 5-10 mm., 40- fruited; scales white, more or less marked with chestnut, the mid- rib faint, green; broadly ovate, obtuse, dorsally convex, slightly longer than the achene. Achenes brown, ellipsoidal, 1.3 x. 7 mm., in section convex on the dorsum and plane on the ventrum; the whole surface marked by more or less hexagonal ridges, includ- ing nearly quadrilateral shallow pits. Moist banks and ditches at Guanica, Porto Rico (731)- FIMBRISTYLIS Vahl. Inflorescence more or less compound-umbellate. Fertile flowers bi-sexual. Scales numerous, spirally imbricated, lower short, empty. Bristles none. Stamens 3. Style 2-cleft, achenes lenticular. Achenes lenticular non-tuberculate: Markings longitudinal, faint F. ferruginea Markings longitudinal, strong F. spadicea The cuts present: An enlargement of the achene, dorsal view (also lateral view in some cases), a transverse section at its greatest diameter (the base of the section being the ventral side); a portion of the surface magnified 25 diameters, showing the markings, and usually beneath tliis a cross-section of the same, illustrating tlieir prominence. The enlargements are relatively the same n all the cuts. Aug. 1900. Plants Utowan^ — Millspaugh. FiMBRiSTYLis FERRUGiNEA (L.) Vahl. Enum. 2:291. Scirpus fe7'rugineus Linn. Fimbristylis starts Spr. Fivibristylis spadicea in part, Britton, on page 29. Bracts about 3, leaf-like, 1-3 cm. long. Inflorescence umbellate several rayed with one spike sessile; rays 2-3 cm. long; spikes ferrugineous, ovoid, obtuse, 8-10 X 4-5 mm., sometimes continu- ing to grow and fruit at the apex after the lower scales and ach- enes have fallen, making entire length of rachis nearly 2 cm. ; bractlets short, setaceous, scales ferrugineous with green midrib, ovate, subacute, apiculate, upper part minutely pilose, 3-times the length of the achene. Style twice the length of the achene, broadly- flattened and villous below the forking. Achene pale-brown, obovoid, I.I X 1.4 mm., in section irregularly lenticular, the dorsum gibbous; surfaces faintly marked by longitudinal rows of laterally elongated hexagonal reticulations. Moist meadow at Catano, Porto Rico (193); ditches in the environs of Charlotte Amalia, St. Thomas (429); on the borders of a brackish, lagoon near the north shore of Cozumel Island (1594). FixMBRiSTYLis SPADICEA (L. ) Vahl. Euum. 2:294. Scirpus spadiceus Linn. Bracts 3-4, leaf-like, scabrous on the margin, 13-25 cm. long: Inflorescence a compound um- bel, rays 1-6 cm. long; second- ary umbels of 3-9 spikes; spikes chestnut, ellipsoidal, subacute, 4x10 mm., continuous at the apex as in F. ferruginea; bract- lets short, setaceous; scales chestnut with green midvein, chitinous, broadly ovate, obtuse, subapiculate, 3-times the length of the achene. St3'le twice the length of the achene, villous throughout. Achene dark-fuscous, truncate-obovoid, .95x1.1 mm., in section lenticular, the dorsum strongly gibbous; surfaces promi- nently marked by longitudinal lines composed of rows of broad reticu- lations enclosing deep oblong pits. Moist meadow at the Port of Ponct^, Porto Rico (664). HELEOCHARIS R. Br. Fertile flowers bi-sexual. Scales many, spirally imbricated,, lower empty and bracteate. Bristles 7, subequal to the achene. ii6 Field Columbian Museum — Botany, Vol. 2, Stamens 3. Style escence a terminal 2-cleft; spike. Heleocharis capitata (L.) R. Br. Prod. 225 Scirpus capitatus Linn. Spike light-brown, ovoid, obtuse, imbricated, the lower somewhat enlarged and bract-like; fruiting scales brown with green midrib, broad, ellipsoidal, obtuse, twice the length of the achene. Sta- mens twice the length of the achene. Bristles pale - ferru- gineous, retrorsely barbed, as long as," or shorter than, the achene. Achene, including the tubercle, pyriform, .7x1mm.; tubercle white, .1 x .2 mm.; achene proper polished-black, in achene lenticular, tuberculate. Inflor- mm. elon- section lenticular, the surfaces longitudinally marked by faint, gated, hexagonal reticulations, interspaces unoccupied. Boggy spot in a field at Catano, Porto Rico (175); wet soil at the Caleta Cozumel (1526); borders of a brackish lagoon south of Pro- greso, Yucatan (1687,). DICHROMENA Vahl. Inflorescence in a terminal head subtended by long leaf-like bracts. Fertile flowers bi-sexual; scales numerous, spirally imbricated, the lower and upper empty or infertile; spikelets few-fruited; bristles none. Stamens 2 or 3. Style long, 2-cleft, achene lenticular or appearing elliptical tuberculate: Achenes bi-convex, tuberculate: Ridges few, transverse, smooth D. pubera cellular, large D. colorata small D. radicans DiCHROMENA PUBERA Vahl. Euum. 2:241. Schcenus pub esc ens H. B. K. Dichrofnena nervosa Britton, on page 30. Bracts six, 3-9 cm. long, deflexed spreading, softly pubescent, cili- ate and white on the upper sur- face at the base. Heads pale- cinnamon, subglobose, 10 - 14 mm. wide, composed of 5-8 spikelets; spikelets narrowly ^ ovoid, 8x3 mm., 3 - fruited; scales ovate, subacute, more than ^—^y vv //^ twice the length of the achene. Stamens 2. Achenes bronze- brown, the beak excluded de- pressed-globose, 1.3x1.4 mm.; beak dark-brown, sharply conical, decurrent at the base, .6 mm. high. Aug. 1900. PLANTiE UrOWANiE — MiLLSPAUGH. 117 Achene in section elliptical, the angles prominent; surfaces marked by irregular, sometimes branching, horizontal smooth and shining ridges. Moist banks and ditches at Bayamon, Porto Rico (338), and at Port Antonio, Jamaica (927). DiCHROMENA COLORATA (L.) Hitch. PI. Baham. 141. Schxnus coloratus Linn. Dicliroinena pubera and radicans Britton, on page 30. Dichromena leucocephala Michx. Bracts 3-5, deflexed-spreading, 5-10 cm. long, basal portion white. Inflorescence in white globose heads 10-14 mm. wide, com- posed of 8-16 ovoid spikelets 3 X 5-8 mm., 1-3-fruited; scales white with a hyaline border, con- oid, subacute, keeled, nearly three times the length of the achene. Stamens 2. Achenes (excluding the beak) dark cinna- mon-brown, obovoid, 1.2x1.15 mm. Beak broadly - conical, darker than the achene, .5 mm. high. Achene in section lenticu- lar, the angles strongly marked, the surfaces marked by prominent composed of oblong, raised cells, narrow. In a bog back of Paget's Landing, Bermuda' (54, 60); moist meadow at Catano, Porto Rico (152); and boggy soil near the center of the island of Grand Cayman (1375). Dichromena radicans Cham, and Schl. Linnea 6:38. Dichromena pubera and nervosa Vahl. in part. Bracts 3-5, minutely ciliate and sometimes white at the base. Heads 8 x 10 mm., composed of 1-3 light cinnamon-brown spike- lets 9x3 mm., lanceolate, 5- fruited; scales with darker cin- namon keel, triangular - ovate, obtuse, 3-times the length of the achene. Stamens 3. Achenes (excluding the beak) dark-brown, orbicular, . 9x I mm. Beak black, sharply conical, mitriform, .3 mm. high. Achene in section elliptical, the angles slightly marked; the surfaces marked by about 12 horizontal, intermittent ridges composed of small, oblong, raised cells, with deep broad inter- spaces. Wet soil, near the center of the island of Cozumel (1562). horizontal intermitting ridges the interspaces shallow and ii8 Field Columbian Museum — Botany, Vol. 2. CYPERUS Linn. Including Jfariscus and Toruliniu?n. Inflorescence in more or less densely disposed subumbellate spikes. Fertile flowers bi-sexual. Rachilla winged or wingless; spikelets few to many fruited; scales distichous, the low^er two empty; bristles none. Stamens 1-3. Style 3-cleft; achene trilateral: Achenes trilateral, styles 3-cleft: Surfaces papillate in longitudinal lines C. virens Surfaces reticulate — hexagonally C. ochraceus lozenge-shaped C elegans Surfaces reticulate and papillate — reticulations of faint lines C. brizseus reticulations of sharp lines — papillae small C. ferax papillae large C. planifolius reticulations of faint ridges C. ligularis Surfaces pitted C. Caymanensis Surfaces reticulate and pitted — reticulations of grooved lines C. bruneus reticulations of faint raised lines — pits deep, margin narrowly lipped C. Michauxianus pits shallow, margin broadly lipped C. filiforme %EUCYPERUS. — Spikelets compressed; rachilla persistent on the axis, scale deciduous. Cyperus virens Michx. Flor. Bor. Am., 1:28. Cyperus Suriname7isis Britton, on page 29. Bracts leaf-like, 1-2.5 dm. long. Inflorescence a compound umbel; rays about 10, 2-4 cm. long; secondary umbels 2-4-rayed 2 cm. long; bractlets 1-2 cm. long. Spikes pale-green, sub- globose, 1-5 cm. wide, composed of 10-20 spikelets fascicled upon the re- duced rachis; strongly compressed, nar- rowly ovate, 3x8 mm., 6-20-fruited; rachilla \vingless. Scales white with a green midvein, translucent, loosely cel- lular, oblong-ovate, obtuse, keeled, faintly 3-nerved, twice the length of the achene, closely imbricated. Stamen i, lateral. Style half the length of the achene, divisions short. Achene dull- black, narrowly ellipsoid, 1.4X.45-.5 mm., in section triangular, angles obtuse, dorsal facets slightly convex, the ventral plane; all marked by regular longitudinal lines including single rows of trun- cated conical papillae. Wet roadside between Santurce and the sea, Porto Rico (299). Cyperus ochraceus Vahl. Enum., 2:325. Bracts leaf-like, 1-4 dm. long. Inflorescence a decompound Aug. 1900. Plants Utowan/e — Millspaugh. 119 umbel, rays 6-10, 2-5 cm. long; secondary umbels 2-4-rayed, rays 2 cm. long; bractlets 5-10 mm. long. Spikes pale-ochre, sub- globose, I cm. wide, having 10-20 spikelets subdigitate from the reduced rachis. Spikelets strongly compressed, ovate-ob- long, 2 X 5-10 mm., i8-2o-fruited; rachilla wingless. Scales ochre with a broad, green dorsal stripe, loosely cellular, but less so than in C. virens, ovate, acute, subapiculate, closely im- bricated, keeled above but hollow below from the pressure of the adjacent achene; 3-veined, the mid- vein forking to border the depression; scale a little longer than the achene. Stamen i, lateral. Style subciliate, shorter than the ach- ene, divisions short. Achene brown, ovoid, .5-. 6x1.2 mm., in sec- tion triangular, the dorsal angle very bluntly rounded, the dorsal facets convex, the ventral plane, all marked by regular, sharp hex- agonal reticulations rising perpendicular to the surface of the achene. In shallow water covering a field at the Caleta, Cozumel (1519). Cyperus elegans Linn. Sp. PL, 2:68. Cyperus viscosus Sw. Cyperus viscosus Britton, on page 29. Bracts 3, leaf-like, 2-3 dm. long. Inflorescence a 6-io-rayed umbel, one spike sessile, rays 1-6 cm. long. Spikes mottled pale- green and brown, subglobose, composed of 8-20 spikelets diverg- ent from the reduced rachis. Spikelets compressed, oblong, 3 x 8-10 mm., lo-fruited; rachilla wing- less. Scales fuscous to chestnut with pale-green margins and mid- vein, sub-orbicular, mucronate, less than twice the length of the achene, obliquely spreading; keel thickened at the apex, expanding into 7 nerves below. Stamens 3. Style shorter than the achene, divided to near the base. Achene black, pyriform, .9x1.7 mm., in section triangular, the facets all equally concave and marked by horizontal reticulations resembling a net, the meshes each including a single slight papilla. Along the borders of a brackish lagoon at The Creek, Cayman Brae (i 171); two of these plants are undersized and show a prolifer- ous habit, sprouts replacing achenes in the fruiting spikelets. Brackish bog on the north shore of Cozumel (1596), and in a simi- lar situation at Progreso, Yucatan (1686). § MARISCUS. — Characters of Eucyperus ^^o.^'^i: rachilla slightly I20 Field Columbian Museum — Botany, Vol. 2. winged, falling away from the axis, two lower empty scales persist- ent. Stamens 3. Cyperus Caymanensis sp. nov. Cyperus sp. Britton, on page 29. Culms slender, wiry, 3-angled and somewhat grooved, 4-7 dm. long, I mm. wide, glabrous. Sheaths brown, scarious, glabrous. Leaves shorter than the culm, 2-4 dm. long, 1.5 mm. wide, folded, setose at the scabrous tip, otherwise smooth. Bracts 2 or 3, 1-3 cm. long, 1.5 mm. wide. Inflorescence a dense head of 3 or 4 subglobose spikes 6-7 mm. wide, light brown, dense, ovoid, 4x5 mm., of 20-30 spikelets crowded on the rachis; spikelets golden brown, ovoid, acute, 1.5 mm. long, rachilla i-fruited, much reduced. Scales 4 to each spikelet, 2 lower empty, per- sistent, short, i-i.i mm.; fruit- ing scale golden-brown, broadly ovate, submucronate, keeled, striately ii-nerved, nearly twice the length of and enfolding the achene and the base of the light-green, scaphoid, acute at the divided to near the base, as long rounded pyriform, .6x terminal scale which is base and 1.7 mm. long as the achene. Achene empty. Style dark amber-brown 1.2 mm.; in section strongly triangular the angles keel-like, the facets deeply concave and marked by regularly disposed circular pits. Ditches along the Bodden Bay road beyond Spot Bay, Grand Cayman (1334). Near C. uniflorus pumilus Britton. Cyperus ligularis Linn. Amoen. Acad., 5:391. Mariscus rufus H. B. K. Maris cus ligularis Urb. Bracts 4-7, leaf-like, 3-7 dm. long, minutely sharp serrate. In- florescence a compound umbel, rays 8-12, 1-9 cm. long; second- ary umbels congested, sub- corymbose; spikes rufous, sessile or subsessile, the terminal one cylindrical. 2-3 cm. long, i cm. wide, the lateral deflexed, 1-2 cm. long. Spikelets reddish- brown, ellipsoid, 1.5x3-5 mm., densely crowded, divergent, 2-4-fruited; rachilla wings small. Scales reddish-brown with a dull-green midrib, ovate, ob- tuse, striate, keeled, twice the length of the achene. Style longer than the achene, divided to near Aug. 1900. PlANT^E UtOWAN^ — MiLLSPAUGH. 121 the base. Achene dull-black when ripe, ellipsoid, . 65-. 7 x 1.4 mm., in section triangular, the dorsal angle sharpest, dorsal facets slightly concave, the ventral deeply so; all marked by faint irregu- lar hexagonal ridges, the interspaces plane and centrally occupied by large and prominent semi-globular papillae. Boggy spot in an open field at Catano, Porto Rico (156); low sandy soil at Port Antonio, Jamaica (975, 978), and in a like situa- tion at Spot Bay, Grand Cayman (1301). Cyperus bruneus Sw. F1. Ind. Occ, 1:116. Mariscus bruneus Clarke. Cyperus Ottonis Britton, on page 29. Bracts 4, leaf-like, .5-2.5 dm. long. Inflorescence a dense umbel, 1.5-4 wide, formed of 2-6 spikes, rays i cm. long. Spikes crimson-lake turning darker with age, subglobose, 14 mm. wide; spikelets about 20, oblong, com- pressed, divergent, 2x6 mm., 5-7-fruited. Scales with bright- green keel, crimson-lake turning to dull rusty-brown faintly spotted with red, broadly ovate, obtuse, apicuJate, strongly nerved, nearly twice the length of the achene. Style longer than the achene, divided to near the base. Achene dull-black when ripe, broadly obovoid .7-.9X 1.4 mm., in section flatly triangular, the facets plane, the ventral having a prominent rounded margin at the angles, and all three marked by nearly regular hexagonal grooves, each interspace occupied by a deep circular pit with a raised lip. In a dry field near Playa, Porto Rico (683); and in a sandy field near Progreso, Yucatan (1697). Cyperus briz^us Vahl. Enum., 316. Mariscus brizcEus Clarke. Cyperus Ottonis Boeck. Cyperus bruneus Britton in part, on page 28. Bracts 4, leaf-like, .5-3.5 dm. long. Inflorescence a dense, 6-io-spiked umbel, 7 cm. wide; rays .5-2 cm. long. Spikes light reddish-brown at maturity, subglobose, 2 cm. wide; spike- lets oblong, compressed, diverg- ently ascending, 2.5x10 mm. long, 6-9-fruited. Scales bright reddish-brown or pale roseate, green keeled, ovate, apiculate, striate, twice the lenjjth of the 122 Field Columbian Museum — Botany, Vol, 2. achene. Stjde longer than the achene, divided to near the base. Achene shining - black, obovoid, .y-.g x 1.4 mm., in section like C. bruneus, the facets marked by low, sharp, hexagonal ridges, the interspaces occupied by small semi-globular papillae. In dry sandy soil, south of Charlotte Amalia, St. Thomas (428); in the sandy, cactus-covered center of Ratones Island, Port of Ponc6, Porto Rico (654); sandy shore near Georgetown, Grand Cayman (1248); and at the southwest end of Perez Island, Alacran Shoals (1746), but on no other islet of the group. Cyperus planifolius L. CI. Rich. Act. Soc. Hist. Nat. Par., 1:106. Cyperus pu7'purascens Vahl. Cyperus bruneus in part Britton, on page 28. Mariscus purpurascens Clarke. Mariscus planifolius Urb. Bracts 4, leaf-like, .5-3 dm. long. Inflorescence a 4-10-rayed achene. Style twice the length of the achene, divided half its length. Achene dark reddish-brown, ellipsoid, . 7-.75 x i.g mm., in section triangular with a rounded dorsal angle; facets marked by sharp hexagonal reticulations, the interspaces occupied by semi- globular papillae larger than in C. brizaeus. On low sandy fields at The Creek, Cayman Brae (1182); and the west shore of the Isle of Pines, Cuba (1427). § r(9^f/Z//V7ra/.— Characters of %Mariscus except: Spikelets terete or subterete; rachilla deciduous in i-fruited nodes, with broad wings clasping the achene. Spikelets more loosely disposed in pec- tinate or digitate spikes. Cyperus ferax L. CI. Rich. loc. cit. Cyperus densiflorus Britton, on page 28. Torulinium confer turn Ham. Torulinium ferax Urb. Bracts leaf-like, 1-4 dm. long. Inflorescence in a compouud spreading umbel, 10-20 cm. wide; primary rays 3-6, i-io cm. long; secondary rays 1-2 cm. long. Spikes broadly flabellate in out- spreading umbel, 5-6 cm. wide; rays 1-4 cm. Spikes reddish- brown, broadly oblong or when densely fruited subglobose, 2-2.2 cm. wide; bractlets 2-6 cm. long, narrow, and often bristle-like; spikelets TO-30, compressed ob- long, 2 x lo-i 5 mm., 6-io-fruited; rachilla narrowly winged. Scales reddish-brown with a green keel, ovate, obtuse, striate, hya- line-margined, loosely imbri- cated, twice the length of the Aug. 1900. Plants Utowan.?: — Millspaugh. 123 line, 2.5-4x3.5-4.5 cm., composed of 16-20 pectinately spreading spikelets. Spikelets rufous, sub- terete, linear, zigzag, 1x15-30 mm., 5 - 12 - fruited; rachilla wings large, enfolding the achene. Scales rufous, closely appressed to the rachilla, those of the same rank separated from each other for a distance equal to half their length, all ovate, ob- tuse, less than twice the length of the achene, the dorsum con- vex, not keeled, the median stripe broad, green, y-nerved. Style twice the length of the achene, divided for half its length. Achene black, elongate-obovate, .45-.55 x 1.8 mm. ; in section triangular, the dorsal facets plane, the ventral deeply convex; markings as in the preceding species, but the papillae much higher. Along the border of the lagoon south of Progreso (1671); and in deep w^oods at Chichen Itza, Yucatan (1637, 1773). CvPERUS MicHAUxiANUS Schultes, Syst. Mant., 2:123. Cyperiis speciosus Vahl. Cyperus acicularis Britton, on page 28. Toruli?iium Michauxiamim Clarke. Bracts leaf-like, 5-12 cm. long. Inflorescence a compound um- bel, 15-20 cm. wide; primary rays 8-10. i-ii cm. long; sec- ondary rays 1-6 cm. long. Spikes oblong in outline, 1.5-2.5x3-4 cm., composed of 30-50 hori- zontally spreading spikelets. Spikelets brown, less terete than in the preceding species, 1.5x10-12 mm., io-i2-fruited : rachilla wrings smaller, enfolding the lower half of the achene. Scales loose, obliquely spread- ing, slightly imbricated, reddish- brown with a broad, green, minutely striate dorsal stripe; acute, submucronate, less than twice the length of the achene. Style longer than the achene, divided to near the base. Achene rusty- black, ellipsoid, .5-.6X 1.4 mm., flatl}^ triangular in section, the ven- tral facet somewhat concave; surface marked by faint hexagonal ridges, the large interspaces occupied each by a deep circular pit with a prominent lip. Boggy spot in an open field at Caguas, Porto Rico (219). CvPERUs FiLiFORMis Sw. Prod. Vcg. Ind. Occ. , 20. Torulijiium filifo7-me Clarke. Bracts 2 or 3. 5-12 mm. long. Inflorescence in usually i, some- times 2 spikes, flabellate in outline, 1.5 cm. wide, composed of 124 Field Columbian Museum — Botany, Vol 2. 5 - 9 subdigitately spreading spikelets. Rachis short. Spikelets pale - brown, subterete, i x 10- 14 mm., 6-8-fruited. Rachilla wings broad, enfolding the achene. Scales distant nearly half their length, little longer than the achene, their sides en- rolled, nearly meeting around the the rachilla, pale-brown, dor- sally convex, median stripe broad, green, striate; all ovate, subacute, and hyaline-margined. Style longer than the achene, divided to near the base. Achene dark-brown, turbinate, .65-. 7 x 1.6 mm., more or less triangular in section, the upper third of the dorsal facets concave, the lower con- vex; the upper third of the ventral plane, the lower having promi- nent rounded angles. Surface marked as in the preceding species, but the pits shallower and the reticulations closer. Ditches near Spot Bay, Grand Cayman (1296). Inflorescence a compound pani- SCLERIA Berg. Flowers all unisexual; staminate and pistillate spikelets separate or borne in the same cluster. Fertile spikelet i-flowered; staminate many flowered. Scales imbricated, the lower empty. Bristles none. Stamen i. Style 3-cleft; achene subglobose, bony, supported on a hypogynous disk. ScLERiA PTEROTA Presl. Okcu. Isis, 21:268. Scleria commu7iis Kunth. Schoenus latifolius Vahl. Bracts leaf-like, 5-10 cm. long, cle, 2-2.5 X 5-15 cm. Rachis 3-sid- ed, the angles winged. Secondary panicles axillary, bractlets .5-1 cm. long. Spike pediceled, composed of 1-3 fertile spikelets below and i staminate spikelet above; the fer- tile 4 mm. long, 2 lower scales empty; the staminate 5 mm. long. Fruiting scales fuscous, orbicular, mucronate, shorter than the achene; lower empty scales of staminate flowers fuscous, ovate, mucronate; stamen-bearing scales oblong, obtuse. Achene shining ivory-white, depressed globose (exclusive of the hypogynum), 2.5 x 3 mm.; hypo- gynum 1.5 mm. high, trilobate, pale straw-color above, reddish- brown below. Achene in section nearly circular with no indication of angles, the surface smooth, with a few scattered, white, micro- scopic hairs. Moist spot in deep woods, high on the mountain, back of Char- lotte Amalia, St. Thomas (506). CAKILE. The species of the genus Cakile in North and Subtropical America, have long been a puzzle to systematists, C. maritima, C. aequalis and C. Americana with their forms, having been interchanged and intersynonymized to a considerable extent, mostly on account of the variance of the leaves in specimens from different localities. It was not until after a discriminative study of the fruits and seeds in the specimens of this herbarium, and those of the Cambridge, Missouri, and New York Botanical Gardens, and the United States National Museum, that I was able to satisfactorily place the species, which now appear clearly defined. The species-generating-force in the genus seems to have been the development of the fruit for disseminating the plants in, and from, what in each instance has been their habitat. It appears evi- dent from the separation of the articulations of the foment, of which the upper becomes easily detached while the lower falls with great difficulty, that the former is intended to be disseminated by water, near which the plant always grows; while the latter is intended either to be carried by birds, or to be sown by the plant in the environment of the parent. This conclusion appears to be well substantiated in regard, at least, to the upper articulation, by the fact of the greater sponginess of its pericarp, which is well adapted for floating, and the cylindrical or globose form of the articulation itself, which, with its ready separation from the lower when ripe, by the wind, renders its progress to the water easy of achievement. The evolution for float- age seems to have reached its height in the new species growing upon the Alacran Shoals, from which, on account of their very lim- ited area, the plant seems to have appreciated the necessity of remov- ing itself as speedily as possible, and is increasing the possibility of reaching a better habitat, by a great development of spongy tissue in the upper or floating articulation; while the lower articulation, with the apparent appreciation of the fact that there are no seed-eating birds on the islets, and very little room along the limited strand to accommodate much increase in the number of plants, has become reduced to little more than a swelling of the pedicel. 125 126 Field Columbian Museum — Botany, Vol. 2. Cakile Tourn. Silique lomeutaceous, oblong or more or less cylindrical, biar- ticulate usually below the middle, joints more or less thick walled especially the upper; upper joint i - spermous, seed erect; lower joint o - 2- spermous, seed suspended when i - spermous, when 2, the lower erect; cotyledons plane, accumbent; stigma sessile, cap- itate: Lower joint often 2-spermous: Upper joint corrugated C. geniculata quadrangular C. fusiformis Lower joint i-spermous: Upper joint slender — 8-angled C. Americana 4-angled C. aequalis Upper joint turgid: 4-angled C. edentula 4-grooved C. Alacranensis 6-grooved C. Chapmanii lo-grooved C. Cubensis Two horned at the articulation C. Cakile Lower joint aspermous C. monosperma Cakile geniculata (Robs.) comb. nov. C maritima geniculata Robinson Syn. Fl. N. A., i, 1:132. C. A7nerica7ia Robinson ibid, referring to Canby, Enterprise, Fla. C. mari/ima cequalis Coult. Cont. U. S. Nat. Herb., 1:31, and 2:32. Silique large, tumid throughout, subcylindrical, corrugated, 2.7 cm. long, the articulation hori- zontal, strongly lipped. Upper joint subcylindrical, tapering to a somewhat pugiform apex, 1.6 cm. long, corrugated by 8 deep sulci; seed oblong, dark-brown, 5x2.3 mm. Lower joint subcyl- indrical, tapering slightly to the base, more shallowly corrugated ; seeds 1-2 most frequently 2, well developed, 4.4x2.5 mm. and 4.25 X 2.25 mm. when two; 4.4x2.6 mm. when solitary. Stems thick, axis of fruiting raceme very stout and strongly geniculate, pedicels stout. Leaves lanceolate, blunt, taper- ing to a short petiolar base, sparingly, blunt and distant, large-crenate toothed. Dr. Robinson, in describing the type from which the above characters are drawn, says: ''Foliage of the type," but in so stating he considers our The cuts present: An enlargement of the fruit; a section of the upper and the lower joints; the seed, and a transverse section showing the arrangement of the cotyledons. The enlargements are relatively the same in all the cuts. Aug. 1900. Plants Utowan^ — Millspaugh. 127 American seaboard forms of C. Americana, C. fusiformis, and C. Cakile, to be C. maritima. Habitat : The northern shores of the Gulf of Mexico, especially the Texas coast. Specimens examined: Enterprise, Florida, Canby, Galveston, Texas, Lindheimer; Matamoras, Texas, Berlandier jioj the type; and Brazos de Santiago, Texas, Neally 14^. Cakile geniculata x edentula hyb. nov, A form with greatly enlarged 2-seeded lower joints, as long or longer than the upper, and strongly ribbed, was collected in 1893 on Staten Island, New York, by Mr. T. H. Kearney. This strongly suggests a ballast plant of C. geniculata tainted by crossing with the native C. edentula. Cakile fusiformis Greene, Pitton., 3:346. Silique slender, elongated fusiform, curved, 2.1 cm. long, the articulation horizontal and un- lipped. Upper joint pugiform, 1.3 cm. long, gradually tapering from the swollen base; seed light-amber, elongated and but slightly flattened, 4.4x2 mm. Lower joint cylindrical-fusiform, .8 cm,, often 2-seeded; seeds when two 4.7 x 1,8 and 3.5x1.8 mm.; when single 4.6x1.9 mm. These characters are drawn from the type of which Prof. Greene says: " lower joint ster- ile." Leaves thin, 5-8.5 cm., tapering to a very slender petiolar base, deeply and irregularly pinnatifid, the segments linear-oblong, obtuse. Habitat: From the Florida Keys to Cape Corientes, Cuba. Specimens exainined: Salt Pond Key, off the coast of Florida, Pollard ig^ sheet 330019 Herb. U. S. Nat. Mus., marked ''type" by Prof. Greene; Marquesas Key, Florida, Cu?'tiss ig8 and 5/ Key West, Florida, j5/(?^^