438 MR. F. N. WILLIAMS ON THE GENUS DIAXTHUS. 



This is another of the species with a polymorphic tendency in 

 which it is very difficult to circumscribe satisfactorily the limits 

 of the specific type. One or more forms of the plant were 

 certainly known to Pona (1595) and Caspar Bauhin, and it is 

 also mentioned by John Ray as being found in Italy (1680). 

 Poutedera and Seguier record its occurrence between Trent and 

 Verona, on the confines of Venetia. It is probably the plant 

 mentioned by Linnaeus as an unscented variety of D. Caryophyllus, 

 though it was not properly described and named as a species 

 until 1786 by Wulfen, 



165. D. laricifolius, Boiss. et Reut. Diagn. PL Nov. Hisp. 

 n. 9 ; Willk. et Lange, Prodr. Fl. Hisp. iii. p. 6S8 ; Willk. Ic. 

 Descr. PI. Nov. Hisp. i. p. 12, t. 6. 



Caespitosus, glaucus. Caudex lignosus. Caules 37 centiin., 

 subsimplices teretes. Folia carina* a fere acicularia; radicalia 

 15 mm. acuta falcata, caulina 20 nun. acuminata stricta adpressa, 

 vagina folii diarn. 3-plo longiore. Florea solitarii v. geminati, 

 inodori. Bracteae 4-6, exteriores lanceolatse, interiores obovatae 

 atting. i longit. calycis. Calyx apice attenuato, dentibus 

 mucronatis. Petala non contigua ; lamina rosea, = ^ unguis. 

 Ant bene lineari-oblongae lute®. Semina granulata. 



Hab. Central Spam. 



166. D. skrratifolius, Sibth. et 8m. Fl. Grceca, v. p. 2, t. 402 ; 

 Boiss. FL Orient, i. p. 490. 



25 central, Caudex lignosus. Caules tenuiter virgati uni- 



flori strieti. Folia 20 mm., subulata acuminata 3-nervia, radicalia 



patentia recurva, caulina stricta, vagina folii diam. duplo longiore. 



Bracteae 4 oblongae ad dimidium calycem. Calyx apice attenuato, 



dentibus acuminatis. Petala non contigua ; lamina pallide rosea, 



subtua fusees* cente oblongo-cuneata, = ^ unguis. Antheree 



luttse. Capsula dentibus obtusis. 



b. nazarseus, Clark, Trav. ii. p. 420; Boiss. Fl. Orient, i. p. 516. 

 Caules stricte subramosi. 



Geogr. limits. — E. Mt. Gargarus, in the Troad. 



W. Mt. Hymettus, in N. Greece. 



167- D. Balafsj2, Boiss. Fl. Orient, i. p. 488. 



Caespitosus, basi suftrutescens, 15 centim. Caules humiles 



uni- vel rarius biflori. Folia linearia acuta stricta carinata 3- 

 nervia, vagina folii diam. sequante, radicalia 25 mm., caulina 

 20 mm. Bracteae 4 obovato-oblongae ad dimidium calycem. 



