428 MEXICO.— SUPPLEMENT. [Rubiacea. 



I. Hamelia patens, Jacq Hook, et Am. supra, p. 295, (var. glabra.) — /3 foliis subtus 



molliter pubescentibus. 



Hab. p. Realejo. — Our former specimens were quite glabrous, the present are downy and even velvety 

 on the underside of the leaves. 



1. Spermacoce tenuior, Linn. — De Cand. Prod. 4. p. 552. Hook, et Am. supra, p. 295. 

 (Tab. Nostr. XC1X. B.) 



Hab. San Bias and Tepic. — In this widely dispersed species of Spermacoce we think we have observed 

 characters which will almost invalidate those of the Genus Bigelovia (Borreria, Meyer, not Acharius.) — 

 The essential distinguishing mark of the Genus Bigelovia, is to have the " Capsula matura ab apice septicide 

 dehiscens dissepimento libero nullo." (De Cand.) Such is really the case, generally speaking, with the fruit 

 of the plant now before us, as shown by A. Richard, Rub. t. 14. fig. 2, 3. and in our Tab. XCIX. B. fig. 

 3 and 4. Hence, as it appears to us, our plant would be a Bigelovia. Schlechtendal's character of Bigelovia 

 in the Linnma (3. p. 310.) is also quite characteristic of this kind of fruit : — " Capsula calyce coronata, 

 bilocularis, bivalvis, septicide dehiscens, dissepimento, prater inflexos valvularum margines, nullo ; loculis 

 monospermis intus demum hiantibus." — But in other fruits on the same specimen we find a different mode 

 of dehiscence. Not unfrequently one* or both valves separate from the flat inner superficies of the valves or 



2. Bouvardia xylosteoides ; fruticosa, humilis ? foliis ternis late ovatis obtusis breviter petiolatis molliter 

 pubescentibus subtus pubescenti-sericeis, stipulis late ovatis membranaceis pubescentibus bi-trisetigeris, floribus 

 subcapitatis, capitulis 3-6-floris sessilibus, calycis tubo tomentoso, limbi laciniis elongatis spathulatis foliaceis, 

 corolla tomentoso-sericea, limbi laciniis brevibus ovatis. 



Hab. On slightly elevated mountains about Mitlam, Province of Oaxaca. Andrieux, PI. Mexic. exsicc. n. 

 333. — A small, apparently humble shrub, with a good deal the general aspect of some of the North American 

 species of Xylosteum. Leaves, including the petioles, three-fourths of an inch long, soft and downy, silky 

 beneath. The teeth of the calyx are long, spathulate and leafy. The corolla clothed with dense, white, silky 

 tomentum ; the limb of 4 short broadly ovate, spreading segments. The heads of few flowers seem to be 

 quite sessile. 



3. Bouvardia? discolor; fruticosa, foliis oppositis ovatis acuminatis breviter petiolatis supra hirsutis 

 subtus albido-tomentosis in junioribus candidissimis, stipulis ovato-lanceolatis liberis (?) deciduis, corymbis 

 densifloris capitatis pedunculatis terminalibus bracteatis, calycis lobis lanceolatis elongatis, corolla albido- 

 tomentosa. 



Hab. Between Tehuantepec and Voca del Monte, Province of Oaxaca. Andrieux, PL Mexic. exsicc. 

 n. 334. — A doubtful species of Bouvardia. The stems are woody, tortuous; the older parts of the 

 branches marked with the scars of fallen leaves and stipules ; younger branches very downy, almost woolly. 

 Leaves opposite 2-3 inches long, penninerved, moderately hairy above, woolly and much paler coloured 

 beneath, where in the young leaves it is pure white. Flowers densely crowded, so that the corymbs appear 

 rather to be capitula ; the segments of the calyx elongated, almost leafy. The corollas about an inch long, 

 canescent with white woolly down. 



* And then the character is that of Spermacoce, if we understand it rightly, " Capsula calycis limbo ssepe 

 obliterato coronata, bilocularis, coccis monospermis ab apice bipartibilibus, altero septo adnato clauso, altero 

 septo rupto aperto." Be Cand.— Or, according to Schlechtendal, " Capsula calyce coronata, bilocularis, 

 bivalvis, dissepimento parallelo ; loculi monospermi, alter septifrage dehiscens, alter dissepimento adnato 

 clausus." — Schlecht. in Linn&a, 3. p. 355. 



