\ 



188 COXTRIBUTIOXS TROM THE NATIQNAT. HEKBAmUM. 



(jiii. long; Lracis uvato, ciuspidato, equalin^^ the blonder pedicels, 8.8 to \:\ mm. long, 

 spreading ultimately fauii the raehis at right angles; calyx nun. deep, teeth linear, 

 reaching dcnvn nearly to the hase; corolla purple or reddish, i-arely white, tAvice as long 

 as the calyx; pod 1.2 to 2 cm. long, 2.2 mm. broad, joints 3 to G, the lower snture 



waved halfway down. 



Near Bayamon in moist sandy soil at Catano; Sierra de Luquillo halfway to the top 

 of Mount Jimenez in woods; Sierra de Naguabo, near Minas de Cobre at Rio Blanco; 

 near Los Manu'yes; near Juncos on roadsides; near Hato Grande on ]\k)unt Gregorio; 

 between Agiias Buenas and Cagnas along roads; between Cagvias and Cayey along 

 roads; near Cayey at Qnebrada Arriba; near Aibonito along roads; near Adjuntas, on 

 the declivities of Mount And\ibo and on Mount Cedro; near Maricao; near Mayaguez, 

 on declivities of Mount Mesa. — Cuba (Grisebach), JaiTiaiea, Haiti, St. Kitts (Grise- 

 bach), Antigua (do.), Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Vincent, Grenada, 

 Tobago, Trinidad (Grisebach). This is a common American species, but in the Old 

 World is only known in Africa. 



Local naine, zarzahacoa galana. 



4. Desmodium axillare (Sw.) D(>. 

 The Porto Rican material is includ(Kl in th<^ following varit^tics and form: 



4a. Desmodium axillare obtusifoliola (Kuntze) Urb, 



(Urban, 291.) 



Herbaceous, rarely suffrutescent, creeping, rooting, 3U to 45 cni. long, clothed with 

 very short soft inconspicuous hairs intermixed with hamate ones; leaflets 3, rhomboid, 

 ovat(^-rhomboid or orbieular^rhomboid, 3.5 to 5.5 cm. long, 2.5 to 4.5 cm. wide, obtuse 

 or rounded at the apex; flowers rose-colored, dark rose-colored, or reddish-violet, about 

 5 mm. long, the pedicel 6.5 to LS nmi, h^ng; legume long-stipitate, the suture slightly 

 notched, the dorsal margin sinuate as deep as to the ventral suture; articulations dcl- 

 toid-semioval, 7 to 8 mm. long, 4 to 5 nun wide. 



Near Bayamon in shady places; Sierra de Lnquillo in woods halfway to the top of 

 Mount Jinu^nez; near LosMameyes in moist localities among herbs; near Cayey, in a 

 thicket of Cujfta arahica at Pedro Avila; near Adjunta?, in woods on Mount La Vaca.— 

 Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, St. Kitts, Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Vincent, Grena(hi, Costa 



Rica, Vene/u<4a, Colombia, Chile. 



This plant is extremely common in shady places in Poi'lo Rico. 



Local name, zarzahacoa de monte, 



m 



• 4b. Desmodium axillare acutifolium (Kuntze) Urb. 



(Urban, 292.) 



Stem densely clothed with long, soft liairs intermixed with short, often very incon- 

 spiciKms, hamate ones; leaflets ovate or (tvate-elliptical, acuminate; flowers i)ale pur- 

 ple; articulations of the pod G to 8 mm. long, 4 to 5 mm. wide. 



Near Bayamon in the woods at Pueblo Viejo, near Juncos on Mount Santo de Leon. — 

 Cuba, Jamaica, Martinique, St. Vincent, Trinidad, Guiana, and Brazil. 



4c. Desmodium axillare forma robustius Urb. 



(Urban, 292.) 



Tlie stem thicker than in variety angasiatum, 3 mm. thick and densely hirsute; ter- 

 minal leaflet 12 cm. long; flowers rather longer than in variety anguslalinn; wings 5 

 mm. long; pod articulations 10 mm. long, G mm. wide; calyx red-brown; petals pale 

 rose-colored; stamens rose-colored; anthers i)ale yellow (<?x Sintenis). 



Sierra de Luquillo, in woods halfway to the top of Mount Jimenez. 



