584 Bicknell : Studies in Sjsyrinchium 



Wright, herb. Columbia Univ. and herb. Gray ; Austin, March 



1870, J. E. Bodin, type in U. S. I 

 25, 1898, herb. N. Y. Bot. Gard. 



herb.; A. A. Heller 



Indian Territory: Sapulpa, April 28, 1895, B. F. Bush, 

 herb. Columbia Univ., herb. Mo. Bot. Gard. 



v 15. Sisyrinchium amoenum sp. nov. 



Rather firmly erect and in closely many-stemmed tufts becom- 

 ing 30 cm. or more high, somewhat yellowish-green and glau- 

 cescent, showing much brownish discoloration when dry ; roots 

 numerous very slender and elongated. Leaves long and strictly 

 erect but not at all rigid, the longer ones equalling the tufts or 

 nearly so, tapering-acute, 1—3 mm. wide, not very closely fine- 

 nerved, the edges smooth ; stems stiff and narrowly firm-winged, 

 1-2 mm. wide, the edges very smooth to obscurely roughened, 

 usually 2-branched from about the middle, the branches erect or 

 the outer one diverging, each bearing 2-4 mostly shorter pe- 

 duncles ; some stems may bear but one node much above the 

 middle ; stem-leaves erect, that from the lower node elongated ; 

 peduncles from the upper node relatively short, mostly unequal 

 and somewhat curved, approximate or diverging ; spathes mostly 

 15-18 mm. long, often tinged with reddish-purple, narrowed to the 

 base, the subequai bracts mostly short-attenuate and very acute, 

 very finely close -nerved, the outer with the narrowly white- or 

 purplish-hyaline edges united for about 3 mm. at base; inner 

 scales brownish-tinged, but little shorter than the bracts ; flowers 

 on slender erect pedicels subequai with the bracts, rather large, 

 deep purple-blue, the delicately short-aristulate segments becom- 

 ing 12 mm. long; column 5 mm. or more high; anther orange- 

 yellow, about 2 mm. long ; ovary glabrous. 



A P 



flaccidit 



reservation. Nevertheless it seems scarcely possible to reconcile 

 its greater size and strictly erect habit with the diffuse and sub- 

 spreading character of 5. flaccidum. It is also relatively much 

 longer-stemmed and more glaucescent, with thicker, more firmly 

 and closely nerved leaves and bracts, shorter, stiffer peduncles, 

 and larger flowers on less exserted pedicels. 



It should be noted also that this plant and 5. flaccidum were 

 collected for distinct species by Mr. Bush, who especially noted 

 its conspicuously larger size and larger flowers. Doubtless the 

 mature fruit of each would settle finally the question of rela- 

 tionship. 



