314 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 
9, Abronia variabilis Standley, sp. Noy. Pirate XNXNI, Fieure 1. 
Perennial, spreading; stems slender, almost glabrous below but puberulent 
above, especially at the nodes; leaf blades small, 0 to 15 mm. long and 6 to 
12 mm. wide, very irregular in shape, usually irregularly rhomboidal, almost as 
broad as long, obtuse, cuneate at the base, more or less sinuate-margined, 
minutely puberulent; leaves few and not conspicuous, the internodes long; 
peduncles 5.5 to 6.5 cm. long, slender, sparsely puberulent; bracts ovate- 
lanceolate, 4 mm. long and 1 mm. wide, thick, acute; flowers almost 2 ¢m. 
long, their limbs 8 mm. wide, tubes sparsely puberulent; fruit small, about 
6mm. high and 8 mm. wide, its body firm and with vertical ribs between the 
wings; the wings broad, not narrowed below, rounded above but not pro- 
longed above the beak, nerved, of medium thickness, rather thicker than those 
of A, minor, puberulent above, 
This plant is nearest A. minor, but has broader, irregular leaves and longer 
petioles, while its fruit has narrower wings which are not so much narrowed 
at the base. From A. umbellata it may be distinguished by its more slender 
stems, irregular and smaller leaves, und broader bracts, and by the wings, 
which are more broadly rounded above. Type National Herbarium: no, 465257, 
cotype in the Herbarium of the University of California; collected at Redondo, 
California, May 25, 1892, Lrnest Braunton 28, 
Other specimens eramined: 
CALIFORNIA: Redondo, 1904, Grant; Long Beach, 1900, Jones 6500; San 
Luis Obispo County, 1888, Irs. R. W. Swmmers; Playa del Rey, 1902, 
Abrams 2494; Los Angeles County, 1890, H. HL Hasse; Coronado 
Beach, 1889, Brandegee; Los Angeles County, 1880, 1, A. Bush; mouth 
of Tia Juana River, 1894, Mearns 3915, 
EXPLANATION OF PLatE NXNXI.—Fig. 1, a, plant of Abronia rariabilis; b, fruit of same, 
Vig 2, a, plant of A. sparsifolia; b, fruit of same. Figs. 1 and 2, a, scale 3; 6, scale 2. 
10, Abronia neurophylla Standley, sp. nov. PLATE NNNIT. 
Perennial, prostrate; stem stout, minutely puberulent throughout but the 
stem appearing almost glabrous, internodes 10 cm. long or more; leaf blades 
large, 28 to 42 mm, long and almost as wide, very broadly ovate or rhomboidal, 
thick and fleshy, minutely puberulent beneath and on the margins, the midrib 
and lateral veins prominent, the opposite leaves of about the same size and 
shape; petioles as long as the blades, broad, densely viscid-puberulent, prom- 
inently nerved; peduncles about 12 cm. long, minutely puberulent, stout; bracts 
thick, ovate-lanceolate, acute, 8 mm. long, densely puberulent; flowers many, 
red, almost 2 em. long, limb 9 mm. broad, tubes puberulent; fruit not seen. 
This is distinguished by its prominently nerved, thick, fleshy leaves, and 
thick, strongly nerved petioles. The bracts are much thicker than those of 
A. umbellata, and the plant is larger, stouter, and much different in general 
appearance, Type U. 8S. National Herbarium no. 389934, collected on San 
Nicolas Island, California, April, 1807, by Mrs. Blanche Trask (no. 25). I 
have seen two sheets of this plant, one in the National Herbarium and one 
in the herbarium of Missouri Botanical Garden; neither specimen is very good, 
but the two taken together supply material enough for the diagnosis of the 
species. It is unfortunate that fruit. is lacking, for it would probably help to 
differentiate the species still more definitely. The collector says of the plant: 
“ Covering vast areas of drifted sand; leaves shining ; flowers red and fragrant.” 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE XXXII. —Plant of Abronia neurophytla, Scale 3. 
11. Abronia platyphylla Standley, Ss}. Noy. PLATE NNNITI. 
Perennial’: stems spreading. stout, viscid-puberulent or villous throughout : 
leaf blades orbicular to broadly elliptical, slightly sinuate-margined, puberulent 
