^^ 



52 



nal description. A fruiting specimen, collected in South Caro- 

 lina during the last week of December, affords conclusive evidence 

 that this interesting species, as might have been expected, is to 

 be classed, in this respect, with 5. laurifolia.^ The main branch 

 of the specimen bears discolored reddish leaves, evidently of two 

 years' growth. A single lateral branch has leaves still fresh and 

 green in appearance. On the main branch are several clusters of 

 ripe red fruit, while on the other the berries are still very small 

 and green, in fact scarcely more than ovaries from which the peri- 

 anth has but recently fallen. No one examining this specimen 

 could doubt that the immature fruit resulted from the flowers of 

 last October (1887) and that the full-grown red berries must be 

 the fruit of the preceding year (1886). If any confirmation were 



necessary it is 



Wm. M 



March 



shows the fruit still small and green but somewhat farther ad- 

 vanced than the young berries in this December specimen. 



Wood's description of S, pumila appears more correct than 

 Chapman*sin two or three particulars. Chapman says, '* berry 

 whitish,'' — Wood, '' red when ripe," The latter is strictly correct, 

 although it is quite probable that the berries may be whitish be- 

 fore fully mature. Chapman says, " leaves five-ribbed," — Wood, 

 " three to five-veined." In my specimen the leaves arfe very 

 strongly three-veined, the intra-marginal veins being too slight to 

 deserve notice. Finally, Chapman has " peduncles about twice 

 as long as the petioles," — Wood, ** peduncle as long as the peti- 

 ole." Here, again, Wood is right, the peduncle being, if any- 

 thing, slightly shorter than the petiole. Students of Smilax are 

 aware that these points of difference are all of specific value in 

 this difficult genus, and it is therefore well to put upon record 

 the close agreement of the specimen examined with Wood's de- 

 scription. 



I may note in conclusion that the ovoid berries are distinct- 

 ly and strikingly acute, a peculiarity of shape unmentioned by 

 Wood, Chapman or Walter. E. E. SterNS. 



*It is interesting to observe that these two species are also closely allied by the 

 fact (fide Gray, F. F. & G. Bot., p. 337) that each has a one-celled ovary^ a notable 



variatign frQi;} the trilocular ov^ almost universal in this large genus, 



^ 



