BiCKNELL : Studies in Sisyrinciiium 219 



branched, sub-corymbose, bractcate inflorescence and long stiffl} 



erect leaves. 



Sisyrinchium solstitiale 



Known only in its early-flowering stage. Thinly tufted from 

 erect woody rootstocks, the ver}' slender roots long and wiry, the 

 bases of the tufts clothed with chaffy and loosely fibrillose remains 

 of decayed leaves. Stems and leaves pale dull green or glauces- 

 cent, turning dull brownish-green in drying : leaves very straight 

 and erect, 15-25 cm. long, about half the height of the plant, very 

 narrow when young, becoming 4 mm, wade, evenly graduated to 

 the stiff acicular apex, striate, the nerv^es mostly prominent and 

 obscure in an alternating series, the intervals minutely transversely 

 rugulose ; margins of the leaves for a width of about .5 mm. thinner 

 and paler than the interior portion in evident contrast, at least in 

 the dried plant, the extreme edge hyaline and minutely serrulate, 

 becoming smooth ; stems once or twice spirally twisted, forming 

 an erect double curv^e, 20-46 cm. or more tall, becoming 3 mm. 

 wide, the firm wings hyaline-margined and obscurely serrulate, 

 becoming smooth : inflorescence elongated, narrow, from three 

 rather remote nodes, each supporting an erect, fohaceous bracteal 

 leaf and one or two peduncles, or the lower one bearing a slender 

 branch having a bracteal leaf and two peduncles : spathes dull green, 

 straight, 2-2.5 ^^'^^- lo"g> the bracts stiff, closely striate-nerved, 

 subequal, acute or aculeate, the outer one narrowly acuminate, 

 its margins below white-hyaline, united around the inner for 

 6~S mm., or over one third of its length; interior scales acumi- 

 nate, finally equaling the bracts : flowers blue, rather strongly 

 veined, apparently few, about 1 2 mm. long, on erect slightly ex- 

 serted pedicels. 



Collected by Mr. Geo. V. Nash in high pine land at Eustis, 

 Lake Co., Florida, Aug. 10, 1894, the first flowers just opened. 

 Type In herbarium Geo. V. Nash. 



A very distinct species remarkable for its late flowering period. 

 wS. xerophylluDi Greene, which occurs at the same locality, flowers 

 in March, five months earlier in the season. 



Sisyrinchium xeropmvllum Greene, Pittonia, 4: 32. 17 M. 1899. 



Tufts coarsely brown-fibrose at base from compound woody 

 rootstocks, each separate stem arising from a short annular caudex : 

 stem and leaves dull brownish-green, glaucescent, turning dark 

 brown, stiff, closely striate, transversely rugulose or granulose be- 

 tween the nerves, the edges rough-serrulate or becoming , nearly 



^ 



