Bicknell: Studies in Sisvrixchium 345 



i 





In Its fully developed state this plant presents so striking a 



contrast with 



camp 





to be little doubt of its being a distinct species ; nevertheless, 

 forms apparently intermediate between the two occur with them. 

 It is evidently impossible to determine the exact status of the plant 

 from present material. 



Sisyrinchium flaviflorum sp. nov. 



Tufted, about 25 cm. high, dull green and glaucescent ; older 

 roots coarse and simple or nearly so. Leaves about three-quar- 

 ters the height of the stems, 1-2 mm. wide, the larger ones 

 broadened upwards, acute, striate, the edges nearly or quite smooth : 

 stems 1.25-2 mm. wide, stiff and erect or sometimes curved, 

 broadened into the base of the spathe, the wings prominently 

 striate, smooth-edged ; spathes green, 4-5 mm. wide near the 

 base ; primary bract very large and foliaceous, often curved, about 

 o cm. long, obtusely pointed, surpassing the second bract 3-4 cm., 

 very narrowly hyaline below, the margins free to the base ; inner 

 bract 2-2.5 cm. long, hyaline-margined, herbaceous attenuate to 

 the obtuse apex, emerging rather abruptly from the base of the 

 spathe: flowers apparently few on pedicels 10-15 mm. Ion 

 much shorter than the inner bract; perianth clear lemon yel- 

 lo_\v, about 12 mm. long, apparently o[ rather thick texture and 

 minutely granulose-glandular, the divisions abruptly rounded or 

 truncate at the tip, very short aristulate ; column about 5 mm. 

 ".'gh; anthers rather large, 2-2.5 mm. long, apparently less con- 

 tiguous than* in allied species with the filaments less coherent at 

 the top; young capsules obovate-oblong, glandular-pubcrulent. 



Missouri : Courtney, B. F. Bush. Type in Herb. Missouri 

 ^ot. Gard., June 7, 1892, just in flower. 



Similar in general appearance to large examples of S. campestre 

 ^(tnsamiin but of a peculiar dull green color with larger spathes 

 ^"d especially larger and more foliaceous primary bract. The 

 '^o^vers, however, afford the most distinctive feature of the plant 

 ^f^d appear to be peculiar in texture as well as \n color, and m 

 ^^fger anthers as compared with related forms. 



^"^Ir. B. F. Bush, of Courtney, Missouri, the discoverer of this 

 "^teresting plant appears to be the only person, who has ever met 

 J^^th it. Specimens sent by him some years ago to the Gray 

 herbarium were referred to by Dr. Watson as being probably a 

 form of 6-. angustifoHum (Gray's Manual, ed. 6, 735). 



