TIDESTROM—CAPERONIA PALUSTRIS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES. 307 
CAPERONIA PALUSTRIS. 
Caperonia palustris is another plant which has not been noticed 
very often, but in this country it appears to be of recent introduc- 
tion. It was described and illustrated by Martyn’ prior to 1737 
(probably in 1735 or 1736). Seeds were introduced into England in 
1731, when they were sent to the Chelsea Garden by Houstoun. lts 
first mention in literature, therefore, precedes the appearance of 
Linneus’s Hortus Cliffortianus (1737). Martyn’s description is suf- 
ficient for the identification of the plant; his illustration of it is 
unmistakably the species in question. The description given by 
Martyn reads: 
“ Ricinoides palustre, foliis oblongis serratis; fructu hispido. Houstoun. 
“Caulis huic viridis, pilis albicantibus hirsutus, striatus, concavus, foliis vestitus 
oblongis, serratis, quatuor uncias longis, tres uncias latis, & nervis donatis conspicuis, 
a costa media ad latera tendentibus, & in serris foliorum singulis desinentibus. Ex 
alis foliorum prodeunt pediculi, Flores masculinos longa serie gestantes, exiguos 
pentapetalos, candidos; infra quos conspiciuntur foemininii, quibus succedunt 
Fructus hispidi.”’ 
The plate is reproduced herewith to illustrate the excellent work 
which was done in the dawn of modern botany. According to recent 
authors? the species appears to inhabit Cuba, Haiti, Guadeloupe, 
Martinique, the territory from Mexico to Guiana, and tropical 
Africa. Its characters may be given as follows: 
Caperonia palustris St. Hil. Hist. Pl. Brés, 245. 1824. PiatE 103. 
Ricinoides palustre, foliis oblongis serratis fructu hispido. Mart. Hist. Pl. Rar. 173. 
pl. 88. 1728; DC. Prodr. 157: 755. 1866. 
Croton palustre L. Sp. Pl. 1004. 1753. 
Caperonia castanaefolia auct., not St. Hil. loc. cit. 
Androphoranthus glandulosus Karst. Fl, Columb. 2: 15. pl. 101. 1862. 
Plants annual, moneecious, of a light green aspect, about 50 cm. high; stem branch- 
ing, striate, more or less beset with whitish acicular hairs; leaves on petioles 1 cm. or 
more in length, varying in outline from oval to linear-lanceolate, prominently nerved, 
sharply serrate or serrulate, the blades somet imes 15 cm. in length, sparingly pilose; 
peduncles pubescent, sometimes glandular, axillary, about 10 cm. in length; flowers 
remotely spicate, the staminate uppermost, bracted; bracts ovate, about 1 mm. 
long; staminate flowers minute; sepals 5, ovate-acute, 2 mm. long; petals obovate, 
clawed, slightly exceeding the calyx; stamens 10 or less in number, included; pistil- 
late flowers somewhat larger; calyx cleft nearly to the base; lobes unequal, glandular- 
ciliate; petals minute or none; ovary sessile, 3-locular; styles short, cleft into numer- 
ous filiform lobes; mature capsule hispid with glandular hairs, 1 cm. or less in diameter; 
seeds subglobose (1 in each cell), about $3 mm. in diameter, minutely alveolate, of a 
light brown color. 
The only North American specimens seen are from Gueydan, Louisiana.’ 
EXPLANATION oF PLATE 103.—Reproduction of Martyn’s plate 38, as cited. 
1 Hist. Pl. Rar. 38. pl. 38. The title page of Martyn’s work bears the date of 1728, 
the time when the first fascicle was published. 
2 Urban, Symb. Antiil. 4: 344. 1903. 
