384 Bicknell : Species of the Genus Hydastylus 



Hydastylus parvus sp. nov. 



Similar to 77. Schaffneri (Watson) of Mexico, but with broader 



leaves and stem and larger spathes, the flowers on more exserted 



pedicels and larger with longer anthers. 



Leaves shorter than the stems, mostly 1.5-2 mm. or even 2.5 

 mm. wide, apparently thinner and rather more distantly nerved 

 than in H. Schaffneri and only obscurely if at all rugulose : stem 

 1.5-2 mm. wide, wing-flattened: spathes 13-18 mm. long, dis- 

 tinctly broader than in H. Schaffneri, 2.5—3 mm - wide, the bracts 



* 



subequal, but often the inner one slightly the longer, the outer one 

 rather more loosely united-clasping than in H. Schaffneri and less 

 attenuate, the inner one broader above and more scarious-obtuse ; 

 pedicels 23-28 mm. long, usually becoming nearly twice the length 

 of the bracts, erect or diverging : perianth 7-10 mm. long ; anthers 

 3.5-5 mm. long. 



Mexico : " low valley near Saltillo, March 22, 1847, no - 34°> 



Dr. Gregg" just in flower. Type in Herb. Miss. Bot. Gard. and 

 Herb. Columbia. 



^Hydastylus cernuus sp. nov. 



Caespitose in small open tufts 7-18 cm. high from a cluster 

 of pale and delicate fibnllate roots, dull green and glaucescent, 

 turning brown or blackish when dry. Leaves membranously 

 equitant at base, sometimes equaling the stems but mostly shorter, 

 very thin with delicate rather distant nerves often with a fainter 

 alternating series, 1.5-4.5 mm. wide, acuminate to an obtusish point, 

 sometimes obscurely roughened on the sides above, the almost hya- 

 line edges smooth or minutely serrulate : stems erect or ascending, 

 slender, .75-1 mm. wide, delicately wing-margined, the edges 



smooth to serrulate : spathes erect ; outer bract much prolonged, 

 mostly twice the length of the inner one or even longer and surpass- 

 ing it 5-25 mm., 15-40 mm. long, attenuate to an obtuse point or 

 foliaceously broadened and acuminate, united-clasping for about 5 

 mm. at base ; inner bract 10-15 mm. long, narrow, acutish to ob- 

 tuse, usually much concealed ; interior scales narrow, shorter 

 than the inner bract : flowers very small, 3-5 mm. long, pale 

 yellow, the segments somewhat obtuse, dark-lineate : anthers 

 linear, .05-1 mm. long, the stamens 1.5-2 mm. high: pedicels 

 capillary, becoming 12-18 mm. long, finally slenderly exserted and 

 recurved, the capsules mostly cernuous : capsules pale brown with 

 very thin almost membranous walls taking the impression of the con- 

 tained seeds, subglobose and 3-5 mm. high to somewhat pyriform 

 and rather longer ; seeds mostly 2-4 in each row, sometimes more, 



