226 MR. А. W. HILL ОХ THE 
Cav., 8. granatensis, Pl. et Lind., and have been followed by Weddell, who 
adds other specimens under this varietal name. Baker fil. falls into the same 
error as Triana & Planchon and Weddell in uniting Malvastrum Purdiaei, 
А. Gray, and Malva Purdiaei, Wedd. Не appears to have been misled by 
the somewhat ambiguous arrangement of the * Chloris Andina? with respect 
to the geography of species and varieties, and includes specimens assigned 
to Malva acaulis, В. granatensis—which may belong to Malvastrum Purdiaet, 
A. Gray—under Malvastrum acaule, A. Gray. For M. acaule occurs only 
in Peru and Bolivia (?) (v. p. 230), whereas Venezuela and New Granada 
are wrongly cited as localities for this species by Baker. 
M. Purdiaei, A. Gray, does not appear to be at all closely allied to M. acaule, 
as suggested by Gray in his note on the species. 
11. MALVASTREM MERIDA, A. W. Hil.—Fruticulus depressus ; caudex 
subterraneus. Folia rosulata, solo adpressa ; petiolus 2-6 em. longus, 
subglaber vel parce pilosus ; stipulae membranaceæ, glabræ ; lamina ambitu 
late obovato-orbicularis, basi cuneata, 1°3-3 em. longa, 1'5-8'5. cm. lata, 
supra et subtus glabra vel subglabra, aliquando paullo 3—5-lobata, margine 
crenato-dentata. Flores pedunculis 2-floris strigoso-stellato-tomentosis ; 
involucrum persistens, prophyllis 3-4 ovato-lanceolatis 6-9 mm. longis 
3 mm. latis integris dentatis vel aliquando lobatis glabris. Сауд 775-9 mm. 
longus, sub medio 5-lobus, segmentis 5-6 mm. longis triangulari-ovatis sub- 
acutis, extra glaber, segmentis intus et ad margines tomentosis. Corolla 
alba, 1-12 em. longa; petala obovata, unguiculata, 4-6 mm. lata, basi in 
tubum circa 1 mm. longum coalita, uti staminum tubus basi dense stellato- 
tomentosa. Stamina pauca, in caput globosum instructa. Curpella reniformia, 
dorso sulcata, apice brevi strigoso-stellato-tomentosa (Moritz). 
Malva acaulis, Cav., B. granatensis, Wedd. Chl. And. ii. p. 275, partim 
(Linden) ; non PI. et Lind. 
Malvastrum acaule, B. granatensis, Baker fil. in Journ. Bot. xxix. (1891) 
p. 171. | 
VENEZUELA: Prov. Merida, Рагашо de Mucuchies, 3900 m., Linden, 
1425 (Herb. Kew. et Миз. Brit.)! Paramo de Mucuchies (?), Moritz (Herb. 
Mus. Brit.) ! 
Linden's plant no. 1425, which has been considered to be the variety 
В. granatensis of Мага acaulis, Cav., by Weddell and Baker fil. is not the 
var. В. granatensis, Pl. et Lind. (see M. Purdiuei, A. Gray, p. 225). Owing to 
the confusion which has arisen around this varietal name, it 13 best to let it 
fall into disuse and to describe the specimens under a new specific name. 
M. Meridæ shows some resemblance to М. Purdiael, A. Gray ; it differs, 
however. in the scarcely lobed and almost glabrous leaves, cuneate at the 
base, in the two-flowered peduncles and white flowers. 
