232 
usually clustered, erect, 2 dm. or mostly 3-4 dm. tall, nearly 
straight, simple; leaves linear or linear-lanceolate, I or usually 
2-7 dm. long, acuminate, more or less curved, nearly flat or in- 
volutely folded; sheaths 1-3 cm. long, sometimes slightly ciliate; 
involucre of 2 lanceolate or linear-lanceolate nearly equal or very 
unequal leaf-like bracts which are usually much smaller than the 
leaves; flowers dark blue or purplish or rarely white, large, 3-4 
cm. broad; pedicels 2.5—5 cm. long, sepals large, elliptic, ovate or 
ovate-lanceolate, 12-18 mm. long, obtuse or acutish, villous with 
long non-glandular hairs about twice as long as broad, becoming 
membranous; petals sub-orbicular, 1.4—2 cm. in diameter ; capsule 
5-7 mm. long, glabrous; seeds oblong, about 3 mm. long. 
Hillsides and along streams, New York and Illinois, Virginia 
nd Arkansas. May-June. 
5. TRADESCANTIA REFLEXA Raf. 
? Tradescantia canaliculata Raf, Atl. Journ. 150. 1832. 
Tradescantia reflexa Raf. New Fl. Part 2,87. 1836. 
Tradescantia veflexa var. drepisia Raf. New Fl. Part 2, 88. 
18 36. 
Perennial by a rootstock and numerous rather delicate roots, ~ : 
slender or stout, glabrous, glaucous: Stems solitary, erect, 4-9 
dm. tall, nearly straight, commonly much branched, sometimes 
purplish; leaves linear, 2-5 dm. long, straight, or somewhat 
curved, long attenuate; sheaths large, 1-3 cm. long, glabrous or 
rarely slightly villous; involucres of 2 unequal finally reflexed 
leaf-like bracts ; flowers blue, or often red, 2—3 cm. broad, the um-~ 
bel-like cymes at maturity usually dense; pedicels slender, 2-2-5 
cm. long, crowded; sepals oblong or elliptic, apparently lanceo- 
late by the involute edges, 8-10 mm. long, hooded, mostly with a 
tuft of hairs at the apex, sometimes glabrate, 3-4 times as long as 
broad, leathery ; petals suborbicular ; capsule ovoid or oblong, 5-O 
mm. long, glabrous, constricted above the middle ; seeds oblong, 
3 mm. long, with irregular transverse ridges. 
In sandy or clay soil, in the Gulf States and from South Caro- 
lina to Indian Territory and Texas; ascends the Mississippi Valley 
to Minnesota. May—August. 
South Carolina: Elliott; Georgia: Small; Florida: Garber, | 
Nash; Alabama: Earle and Underwood; Mississippi: Tracy; 
Texas: Drummond; Indian Territory: Palmer. ee 
Conspicuous on account of its tall and proportionately slender 
habit, its narrow elongated leaves and usually very dense flower 
clusters. I have adopted the specific name refexa of Rafinesque 
