Bickxell: Studies i\ Sisvrinchium 613 



staniineal-column 5 mm. long, anthers small : capsules dark, trig- 

 onoLis-subglobose, 3-5 mm. high, on delicate slenderly exserted 

 pedicels, erect to widely spreading above ; seeds only 2—3 in eacli 

 cell, immature but evidentl}' large. 



Florida : Jackson Co., Marianna, April 20, 1899, in full flower ; 

 rich shaded soil. Biltmore Herb. 



The relationship of this species is with .V grani'uioidcs and S. 

 tenclluui. From the latter it is distinguished at once by much 

 larger flowers and capsules without regard to other characters. 

 The flowers are also rather larger than in S. graui'uwides with the 



r 



broader segments apparently of a more firmly membranous tex- 

 tuae as also are the more strongly few-nerved leaves ; the bracteal 

 leaf is much shorter and less foliaceous, the peduncles relatively 

 longer and the often deflected spathes much smaller, with less her- 

 baceous bracts, the outer one more united, clasping below ; the 

 interior scales, though variable, become much longer than they are 

 ever seen in S. grauiiJioidcs and the few and larger seeds are a fur- 

 ther noteworthy point of difference. The whole plant is lower and 

 less erect than S, graminoidcs and with a more loosely branched 

 imderground system. 



Sisyrinchium flexile 



Tall and slender, about 50 cm. high, apparently in thin tufts, 

 not fibrose-coated at base, pale green but only slightly if at all 

 glaucous. Leaves long and slender, the longer ones equaling the 

 stems or nearly so, rather stififly erect, withering-persistent, 1.5 

 mm. wide, closely few-striate, somewhat obtusely pointed with a 

 hardened tip, at least in age, very smooth throughout : stems 

 equally smooth and slender with the leaves, somewhat flexuously 

 erect, subterete and very narrowly firm-margined ; nodes one or 

 two, distinctly swollen, when two the lower one bearing a some- 

 Avhat geniculate slender branch, nearly terete, with slightly rough- 

 ened margins and a narrow bracteal leaf, the upper node bearing 

 a very short bracteal leaf, sometimes with hardened incurved apex, 

 and two delicate, nearly terete, slightly geniculate peduncles, 3-7 

 cm. long; spathes pale, slightly deflected, 15 mm. or more long, 

 narrow, especially the subterete base, the bracts subequal, closely 

 striate, their narrow^ tipsscarious-obtuse orsometimcs short-apicu- 

 late, the inner one sometimes the longer ; interior scales silvery 

 white, Yz-^}'^ the length of the bracts ; flowers unknown : capsules 

 5-10, dark brown and rather thick-walled, broadly oblong or 



