FLORA OF THE ISTiQIUS OF PANA^^Li. 141 
OUganthes of Cassini, of which the Fallalesta already was reduced (and perhaps with good reason) by 
Leasing and De Candolle to Vernonia : the pappus furnishes so good/and in general so constant characters 
for the distinction of the genera of the difficult Order of Comjyositir, that it seems to me dangerous to shake 
a foundation which proved secure, even during the most violent systematical trouhles. 
543, Elephantopus mollis^ II. B. K., Nov. Gen, ct Sp. torn. 4. p. 20. — Dc Cand. Prodr. torn. 5. 
p. 86. no. 4. On road-sides; common all over the country. 
The different species oi Ele^liantopus enumerated by De Candolle in his ProdromuSj have hitherto not 
been well characterized. Many botanists take most of them, viz. No. 2-5, for mere varieties of the same 
spccieSj and indeed they scorn to be distlngui:slicd more by a different hiibitj than by any decided technical 
character. I do not know whether E. mollis^ H, B, K.j is the same |)laut as the North American J?. 
■ 
nudicaiilisj EIL^ which, according to Torrey and Gray, in their exeellt^ut Plora of North America, is the 
genuine U. tomentosus, Linn,, and which has a much taller habit, with glomerulea about twice the 
size of those in our plant, and violet-purple flowers ; but specimens of Dr. Seemann agree well with an 
authentic specimen of Humboldt, in Kunth's ITerbarium. This species is distinguii^lied by a slcndor 
habit, the almost leafless, more strigose pilose stem^ the dichotomous ramification of the inflorescence, 
with a small bract-like leaf at every bifurcation, the leaves more softly villous underneath, the involucral 
leaves not longer than the glomerule, the white flowers, and particularly the pappus, of which the palea- 
ceous portion at the base is much shorter, and more abruptly attenuated in the bristle, than in any other 
species of Elephant 02m8, By its Bcapc-like stem however it is more allied in habit to -E. scaler ^ Linn., than 
to E. Carolinianus^ AVilld- 
543. Elephaxtosis angustifoUa^ De Cand. Trodr. torn. 5. p. 87. no. 3. — EJcpJiautopus angustu 
foliuSy SwartZj Flor. Ind. Occident, torn. 3. p. 1383. In savanas about Panama, rare. 
544. DisTREPTrs spicatus, Cassini ct Lessing, Liungea, torn. 4 (1829). p. 327 soq. tab. 2. fig. 
19j 33j 34. — Dc Cand. Prodr. torn. 5. p. 87. no. 1. — Elephautopus spicatus, B. dc Juss. in Aubl. 
Gtiian. torn. 2. p. 808. — Komen vernacul. " Cliijona.^^ Common on road-sides and in ivaste places. 
The double plication at the apex of the two longer and stronger bristles of the pappus, as well aa the 
double series in the pappus of JSJepJiantosis, are sucb constant and significant generic characters, tliat I 
cannot adopt the views of Endlicher and others, who throw Bistreptm together with ElepTiantopus. " The 
Chijoria is used aa a febrifuge by the Panamlans." — J5. Seem. 
545. KoLANDKA argentea, Rottb. Coll. Hafn. torn. 2. p. 256. — Swai-tz, Flor. Ind. Occid. torn. 3. 
p. 1388-1390. tab. 27. fig. 2. — De Cand. Prodr. torn. 5. p. 90. — Echimps fruHcosus, Linn. — 
Echmops nodifloruSj Lam. 
546. LiABUM asclepiadeum, C. IL Schultz Bip. Linnsea, torn. 20 (18-17). p. 521. no. 27.— "Wlprs. 
Annal. Bot. Syst. torn. 1. p. 392. no. 1. Volcano of Cbiriqui, Veraguas. 
This species is intermediate between L. eriocaulon, Poepp. et Eudl., Nov. Gen. torn. 3. p. 43. tab. 249, 
and X. amplexicaule, Pcepp. et Endl., 1. c., of which I have seen authentic specimens in the Imperial Her- 
barium at Vienna ; it approaches nearest to the latter, from which it only differs by its broader leaves, 
which are 3-5 inches long and 2 inches in breadth, and by the pale ye)low flowers ; in Z. amplcj^caule, 
Pcepp. et Endl., the flowers are of a fine golden colour, and the leaves of the same length, and their 
breadth does not exceed one inch. L. eriocaulon, Pcepp. et Endl., differs by its ovate leaves, rounded 
or even subeordate at the base; and by the great semi-ovate auricle at the base of the petiole. In L. ascle- 
piadcum, C. H. Schultz Bip., the leaves are almost of the same size, but elliptical, and at the base atte- 
nuated into the petiole, which however is not al\\ays naked, but often dilated into a short truncate auricle 
