214 ME. J. BALL ON THE FLORA OF NORTH PATAGONTA 



Eroditjm cictjtabium, L'Her. Widely spread from Buenos 

 Ay res southward through Patagonia. It is called Aljilerillo, and 

 is considered useful for cattle, because it springs up afresh after 

 each fall of rain (No. 106, G. C). This species, doubtless intro- 

 duced from Europe, has spread throughout nearly the whole of 

 South America. I have seen it in Peru from the coast up to 

 3700 metres in the Andes, and equally common in Chili ; and 

 Grisebach records it from all parts of the Argentine territory. 

 Like many other introduced plants, it owes its diffusion much 

 more to auimals than to the direct agency of man. 



♦Trop.eoltjm pentaphyllum, Lam. In a wood near La Mag- 

 dalena, not far from the shores of La Plata (No. 232, G. C). 

 This species is, I believe, common in Uruguay and Entrerios, but 

 does not spread far southwards. It is sometimes cultivated for 

 ornament. 



Oxalis ? Very common at Bahia Blanca and in North 



Patagonia, springing up after the rains in spring and autumn, and 

 very variable in the colour of the flowers : the form with yellow 

 flowers (No. 57, G. C.) ; with violet flowers (No. 58, G. C.) ; with 

 pale-blue flowers (No. 100, G. C). This plant is called by the 

 Spaniards Vinagrillo, and Tschilki by the Araucanian Indians, 

 who eat the tuberous root. There is a specimen at Kew collected 

 by Darwin at Bahia Blanca, but I cannot identify it with any of 

 the described species. So many South- American species of this 

 genus have been published of late years, that I think it imprudent 

 to give a name to this. If undescribed, it may properly be named 

 O. Darwinii. 



Oxalis Mabtiana, Zucc. ? From the Isla Verde, near Bahia 

 Blanca, and elsewhere. It is widely spread northwards to 

 Entrerios, and southward through North Patagonia (Nos. 104 

 & 159, G. C). This has tomentose leaves, blue flowers, and a 

 tuberous root. Though very different from the last, it has the 

 same name botli among the Spaniards and Indians, and the latter 

 also eat the roots. If the name above given is correct, this 

 extends also to Brazil. I should be more disposed to identify it 

 with O.floribunda, Lehm., but M. Claraz's specimen was named 

 by the late Professor Lorentz. 



Oxalis amaba, St. Hil. Like the last species, this is widely 

 spread from Entrerios through Buenos Ayres to North Patagonia 



