270 MB. A. W. EENNETT ON THE OENUS HTDllOLEA. 



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may be found on the same plant, and that it therefore cannot 

 even be ranked as a variety. I cannot, however, agree with that 

 eminent botanist's observation, that where the styles and divi- 

 sions of the ovary are three in number, the stamens, lobes of the 

 corolla, and sepals, are each six, having myself found no variation 

 from the normal number of these organs. 



2. H. ovATA, Chois, 



Caulis herbaceus, aseendens, puberulus ; spinse axillares, patulae, 3-1)- 

 lineares, tenues, rectse, puberulse. Folia ovato-lanceolnta, utvinque 

 attenuata, petiolata, 2 polL longa, 6 lin. lata, integra, leviter pu- 

 bescentia vel subglabra, vena media subtus prominente puberula; 

 folia superiora et bractese molUter hirsuta. Flores ca?rulei, racetnosi, 

 pedunculati ; racemi foliosi. Sepala lanceolata, acuta, intus glabra, 

 extus pilosa. Ovarium globosum, glanduloso-hirsutura, biloculare. 

 Styli duo, longi, curvatl, basi glanduloso-hirsuti. Stigmata rotunda, 

 disciformia. Capsula globosa, bilocularis, calyce persistente brevior, 



leviter hirsuta. 



MS 



This species, first described by Choisy, presents no very good 

 characters to distinguish it from H, spinosa, and may possibly 

 turn out to be simply a form of that plant with broader leaves, 

 the stem and leaves less hairy, the spines less numerous and 

 slenderer, and the flowers somewhat larger, unless the disk-like 

 form of the stigmas presents a better diagnosis. It was first 

 gathered by Nuttall in Arkansas and North Carolina ; but spe- 

 cimens collected in Surinam {Sostmann, no. 450) and Brazil 

 (Gardner, 6067) are clearly referable to the same form. 



3. H. PALUDosA, nov. sp. 



Caulis herbaceus, fistulosus, aseendens, subsimplex, hispidus, spinosus ; 

 spinae axillares, patulae vel plerumque recurvae, apice curvatse, 4-5- 

 lineares, pubescentes. Folia elliptico-lanceolata, acuminata, utrmque 

 attenuata, breviter petiolata, Integra, mollissime pubescentia, 1-2 poll. 



' * - — 



longa, 3-5 lin. lata,inferne decidua. F/ore5 pauci, in foliis supenon- 

 bus fere oeculti. Sepala lineari-lanceolata, glanduloso-hispida, pe- 

 talis in alabastro breviora. Corolla cserulea. Stamina basi dilfltata, 



* 



coroUse tubo inserta. Ovarium ellipticum, glabrum, pilis paucis 

 glandulosis apice prseditum. Styli duo, longi, subglabri, rectangu- 



late curvatl. 



H. 



is recognized at a glance by its different habit — its very weak, ap- 

 parently fistulose. and nearly simple stem clearly indicating a^ 

 aquatic habit. The spines pointing slightly downwards, the leaves 

 equally narrowed at both ends, pften decurved, and always de- 



cidnous from the lower narf nf thp atpm. are fl^ood characters- 



