548 FLORA NIGRITIANA. 
sphzrico, squamis involucrantibus imbricatis latis obtusis 
stramineis appresse pubescentibus intimis radiantibus, flores 
stipantibus hyalinis glabris denticulatis, floribus apice ciliatis 
hexandris trigynisve, sepalis liberis, petalis glandula lineari 
marium alte connatis, foeminum apice conniventi-connatis.— 
Sierra Leone, Don ; Grand Bassa, Ansell ; south of the Line, 
Curror. 
Rhizoma breve, crassum, simplex v. apice pluriceps. Folia 
semipedalia ad pedalia v. longiora, 2-5 lin. lata, rigidula, 
opaca, tenuissime multinervia nec fenestrata, glabra v. hir- 
suta. Pedunculus vulgo folia breviter superans, basi usque 
ad tertiam fere longitudinis folio intimo fere ad apicem con- 
voluto vaginatus. Capitulum absque radio 4-5 lin. diametro, 
squamis exterioribus involucri arcte appressis rigidis, intimis 
apice radiatim patentibus, lamina interdum  subpetaloidea 
nivea 3 lin. longa, in plerisque tamen speciminibus multo 
brevior, rarius vix conspicua. Bractee flores stipantes ovate, 
concave, apice sepius glabre. ^ Receptaculum setis longe 
virentibus dense hirsutum. Flores breviter stipitati, invo- 
lucrum (radio neglecto) subzquantes. Sepala in medio 
stipite oblonga, hyalina, apice ciliata, foeminea masculis paullo 
latiora. -Petala in maribus in corollam turbinato-tubulosam 
apice ciliatam breviter trifidam connata, intus medio glandula 
longiuseule lineari nigra munita; in foemineis angusta, basi 
libera, superne tantum in tubum brevem connata. Anthere 
oblongo-sagittatze, corolla paullo breviores. Ovarium trique- 
trum, stylo ad medium trifido. 
The hairs of the leaves and the involucres, and the degree of 
development of the radiating scales appear to be very variable, 
possibly there may be more than one species, but the flowers 
seem to be similar in the few specimens I have seen. The 
leaves, involucres, bracts, &e., distinguish. them all from E. 
stellare, Guill., and some other radiating Brazilian species which 
resemble it in many points of structure of the flowers. 
1. Xyris laxifolia, Mart. Herb. Fl. Bras. p. 293. n. 547.— 
Tropical Africa, south of the Line, Curror. 
I cannot find the slightest difference: between these and the 
