J 



Bicknell: Studies in Sisyrinchium 615 



broad, ^ to ^ the lengtli of tlie bracts : flowers on crect^ scarcely 

 exserted pedicels, violet-blue, the perianth 10-12 mm. long, with 

 long-aristulatc segments ; stamineal column 5-6 mm. high ; fruit 

 not seen. 



Mississippi: Biloxi, March 20, 1898, just in flow^er, S. M. 



Tracy. 



A rather stout and stiffly erect species, perhaps more sugges- 



r 



tive of ^. AtliDiticiDfi than any other but showing material differ- 

 ences. Unlike S. Atlautiann It is scarcely if at all glaucous, and 

 has a very rigid and subterete merely margined stem and longer 

 stiffer leaves ; the bracteal leaves arc more foliaceous and the sub- 

 paniculate inflorescence stiffer and more contracted, with the bracts 

 " of the spathe thicker and more closely striate-nerved. 



Named for Prof. S. M. Tracy whose collections of Mississippi 

 Sisyrincliia have furnished several new species. 



nanum 



Described from a single specimen, probably untypical. Low and 

 stiff, 12 cm. high, pale green and glaucous, not at all fibrillose at 

 base, the long descending roots nearly simple and slightly thick- 

 ened : leaves erect, some of them equaling or surpassing the 

 stems, 1-2 mm. wide, prominently close-striate, tapering to a 

 stiffened subterete, acute apex, very smooth, or sometimes, wdien 

 young, roughened on the sides with minute points and with den- 

 ticulate edges, firmly membranous below and abruptly expanded- 

 clasping at the extreme base : stems subterete and stiff with firm 

 narrow margins, tlie edges smooth ; node only one, bearing an 

 erect leaf about equaling the single short outcurved peduncle ; 

 peduncles about 3 cm. long, \xry narrowly margined, smooth- 

 edged or obscurely denticulate, constricted below the spathe ; 

 spathes 13 mm. long, narrowed below; bracts closely striate- 

 nerved, the outer one narrowed to a short-pointed apex, the mar- 

 gins broadl}' white-hyaline to the tip, united-clasping for 5 mm. 

 below ; Inner bract prominently surpassing the outer one, broadly 

 scarlous obtuse and abruptly contracted to the short-apiculate 

 apex, interior scales broad, acuminate, the longer equaling or 

 exceeding the outer bract ; flowers apparently few, on slightly 

 exerted pedicels, bright violet-blue, about 10 mm. long ; stamineal 

 column 4 mm. high. 



Mississirn : Horn Island, June i, 189S, Prof S. M. Tracy. 



The specimen cited is a very small plant only just In flower, 



and It Is scarcely probable that it is fairly representative of its 



