288 CONTBIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



17. Talinum chrysanthum sp. nov. 



Perennial from a thick, rather fleshy root; stems stout, one meter high or less, reddish, 

 little branched or simple; leaves numerous, thick and fleshy, obovate to oblanceolate, 

 10 cm. long or less, rounded at the apex, attenuate to the base; inflorescence an 

 elongated and much branched panicle; flowere on pedicels 15 mm. long; petals 

 bright yellow; sepals very unequal, almost orbicular; capsule obtusely triquetrous, 

 reddish; seeds black and shining, minutely papillose. 



Type U. S. National Herbarium no. 301854, collected at Bolanos, Jalisco, September 

 10-19, 1897, J. N. Rose 2907. 



It is possible that this is T. reflexum Cav., but that species was described from the 

 West Indies and is illustrated as having acute, mostly opposite leaves. In our plant 

 the leaves are all alternate and obtuse. The plant described here has long been con- 

 fused with T. paniculatum, largely because herbarium specimens do not show the 

 differences that exist between the two species. We have had the two growing side 

 by side in the greenhouse where they seem very different. The new species has 

 yellow flowers, red stems, and obtuse leaves which extend well up into the inflores- 

 cence, becoming gradually smaller above; while T. paniculatum has red flowers and 

 green stem, and has most of its leaves about the lower part of the stem with only a 

 few much reduced ones above. In the latter species, also, most of the leaves are acute. 



The following specimens seem to belong here as well: Hurango and vicinity, 1896, 

 Dr. E. Palmer 607; Yautepec, Morelos, August 27, 1903, Rose & Painter 6563; Cuer- 

 navaca, Morelos, September 10, 1903, Rose & Painter 6936; Aguascalientes, August 20, 

 1903, Rose <k Hay 329. 



18. Talinum paniculatum (Jacq.) Gaertn. Fruct. & Sem. 2: 219. 1791. 

 Portulaca paniculata Jacq. Enum. PI. Carib. 22. 1762. 



Portulaca patens L. Mant. PI. 242. 1771. 

 Ruelingia patens Ehrh. Beitr. Naturk. 3: 135. 1788. 

 Talinum patens Willd. Sp. PI. 2: 863. 1799. 

 Type locality not given, but doubtless in the West Indies. 



A tall perennial, 30 to 100 cm. high; stems stout, green, fleshy, simple, or branched 

 near the base; leaves oblanceolate to obovate or elliptical, 5 to 10 cm. long, acute, 

 thick and fleshy, becoming suddenly very small at the base of the inflorescence, 

 narrowed at the base into a short petiole or sessile; inflorescence a loose panicle, this 

 with many short, slender, mostly dichotomous, divergent branches; flowers on slender 

 pedicels 5 to 10 mm. long; sepals reddish, almost orbicular, strongly concave; petals 

 rose red; capsule eubepherical, green, obscurely triquetrous; seeds black, minutely 

 papillose. 



The original description of this plant reads simply " Portulaca fioribus panniculatis," 

 but since we have seen only the one West Indian species to which this description is 

 applicable this name is probably used properly here and should be preferred to the 

 later T. patens. The latter name has been much more commonly used than has 

 T. paniculatum. 

 Specimens examined: 



Jalisco: Guadalajara, September 28-29, 1903, Rose dc Painter 878. 

 Sinaloa: Near Rosario, on the road to Acaponeta, July 27, 1897, Rose 1853. 

 Federal District: Near Tlalpam, Valley of Mexico, June 30, 1905, Rose, Painter 



& .Rose 8248. 

 Queretaro: Loma de Queretaro, August 20, 1905, F. AUamirano 1612. 

 Coahuila: Saltillo, June, 1898, Palmer 271. 



San Luis Potosi: Region of San Luis Potosf, Parry & Palmer 71. 

 Chihuahua: Near Seven Star Mine, Sierra Madre, altitude 2,100 meters, Town- 

 send 6c Barber 394. 



