- (¢ 2704 +) 
PHYLICA SPICATA. SPIKE-FLOWERED 
PuyLica. | 
Class and Order. 
PenTanpriA Monoeynia. 
( Nat. Ord.—Ruamnez. ) 
Generic Character. 
Cal. corollinus, 5-fidus. Anthere sub squamis fornicate. 
Stigma simplex. Capsula 3-cocca, calyce plerumque co- 
ronata, ’ 
Specific Character. 
Puytica spicata ; foliis sparsis linearibus margine revolutis 
subtus niveo-pubescentibus, floribus dense spicatis 
oblongo cylindraceis tri-bracteatis, bracteis ciliatis, 
perianthio extus sericeo-pubescente. 
Descr. A small slender shrub, with twiggy branches, 
which, while young, are greenish and pubescent. Leaves 
_ scattered, rather remote, all but the upper ones patent, or 
even reflexed, linear, somewhat acute, semicylindrical, 
_ above dark green and shining, the margins revolute, leav- 
_ ing, on the under-side, a narrow groove or furrow, which is 
_ white, with a short thick pubescence. Upper leaves erecto- 
patent, gradually ing into the bractee. Spike about 
__ two inches long, of numerous crowded quite sessile flowers, 
each of which is subtended by one large and two (lateral) 
- small leaf-like bractee, which are strongly ciliated with 
white hairs. Perianth small, white, of a rather thick and 
fleshy texture, clothed on the outside with a silky pubes- 
‘cence, shortly infundibuliform ; the limb of five spreading 
_ Segments, marked in their inside with the impression of the 
_ concave scales which close the mouth of the perianth, and 
which in fact are the small petals of the corolla : aan 
‘ them 
