142 



Minkelersia pauciflora Pose, sp. nov. 



A vine 12 to 21 dm. high, pubescent; leaflets 3, ovate, obtuse, apiculate, 25 to 30 

 mm. long, 16 to 20 mm. broad; lateral leaflets more or less oblique, truncate at base, 

 dark green above, nearly glabrate; stipules broadly ovate, membranaceous ; racemes 

 long-peduncled, 7.5 to 15 em. long, few (4 to fi?)-ilowered; bracts large, resembling 

 tbe stipules, each subtending two ilowers; bractlets 2, linear; calyx tube a little 

 over a line bigb ; sepals oblong, obtuse. 4 mm. long; corolla 12 mm. long; ovary 

 straigbt, linear, densely hairy. 



Collected by Mr. E. \V. Nelson 18 miles southwest of the city of Oaxaca, altitude 

 2,140 to 2.052 meters, September 10 to 20, 1804 (No. 1362). 



Minkelersia multifloia Pose, sp. nov. 



Vine, a little pubescent and slightly scabrous; leaflets 3, ovate, acute, slightly 

 pubescent, rather strongly veined, about 5 cm. long; the lateral with mid-vein 

 strongly eccentric and broad nearly truncate base; terminal one nearly regular with 

 broad cuneate base; petioles 3.7 to 5 cm. long; stipules membranaceous, broadly 

 ovate, acute, 10 mm. long; stipels small; racemes axillary, many flowered (15 or 

 more), often 20 to 25 cm. long when mature including the slender peduncle (7.5 to 10 

 cm.); bracts conspicuous, of the size and shape of the stipules, each subtending 2 

 flowers; buds erect, flowers spreading, after anthesis reflexed; calyx tube almost 4 

 mm. long, much shorter than the lobes; 4 lower sepals lanceolate, acute, 6 mm. long; 

 upper sepal broader and 8 nun. long; style hairy below the stigma; ovary linear, 

 straight, hairy. 



Collected by Mr. C. G. Pringle, in Valley of Mexico, 1896 (No. 6471) ; also by llour- 

 geau at Pedregal, Valley of Mexico, 1865-1866 (No. 576), and referred by Mr. Itemsley 

 in the Biologia (Vol. I. p. 307) to " Vhaeeolus sp." 



. This species differs from typical Minkelersia only in its numerous flowers and 

 perhaps shorter calyx. It differs from all species of Phaseolus in its calyx, but in 

 foliage more resembles thai genus than do the other species of Minkelersia. 



Two other species of Minkelersia have been described, both of which are rare in 

 herbaria. .1/. galactioidea is only known from the type collection of Galeotti, whose 

 specimens came from Oaxaca.. Unfortunately neither Pringle or Nelson came across 

 the plant in their extensive collecting in that State, We have a single specimen of 

 M. blflora obtained by Mr. Pringle in Chihuahua in 1887 (No. 1232). The only other 

 collection of this species is the type (Schaffner's) from the Valley of Mexico. 

 Passiflora nelsoni Master & Rose, sp. nov. Plate XVII. 



Usually an erect herb, 6 to 15 dm. high, glabrous; tendrils none or sometimes 

 present; haves simple, large, one-nerved, glabrous; blade ovate, 10 to 12 cm. long 

 7.5 to 10 cm. wide, acuminate, rounded or slightly cordate at base, entire, smooth; 

 petiole 25 to 37 mm. long, glabrous with 4 sessile obtuse glands near the top; stipules 

 linear, acute, entire, 12 mm. long; peduncle as long as petiole, solitary and axillary; 

 bracts distinct, very large, broadly ovate, 7.5 cm. long, 5 cm. broad, shortly acumi- 

 nate, 3-nerved, entire; sepals 30 mm. long, narrowly oblong, obtuse, apiculate- 

 petals 5, about the length and shape of petals; crown fimbriate, about two-thirds the 

 length of petals. 



Collected by Mr. E. W. Nelson near Tumbala, State of Chiapas, altitude. 1,312 to 

 1,609 meters, October 20, 1895 (No. 3325), and in Guatemala by Capt. John Donnell 

 Smith. 



This species belongs in section Grauudilla and is perhaps nearest I he species </ua- 

 eumi/oHa. 



A very remarkable species on account of the enormously large bracts. Much 

 resembling /'. laurifolia but with larger leaves, more glands on the petiole, and with 

 different bracts, crown, etc. 



Explanation ok Plate.— Fig. I, branch: fig. 2, leaf showing glands on petiole ; tig. 3, flower. (Illus- 

 tration made from Capt. John Donuell Smith s specimen in Herb. Cray.) 



