420 FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM BOTANY, VOL. i. 



with short spinulous processes standing out on the sides. Those 

 of the leaves and stems, on the other hand, are branched at the 

 base, the branches again often subdividing. The main axis of 

 the hair, which is spinuliferous like those of the inflorescence, 

 seems to rise from a basal cluster or network of irregularly dis- 

 posed branches, while these branches in turn become spinulife- 

 rous. Dr. Urban,* who recently described four new species of 

 Telanthera (Alternant hero), three of which seem from the descrip- 

 tion to be very near the above plant, does not mention any other 

 than simple pubescence on the leaves, though in describing the 

 stem-pubescence of T. Sintenisii he says "pube inferne verticilla- 

 tim ramulosa et praeterea minute spinuligera. " But our plant 

 comes from a very different region biologically, and reveals 

 characters which clearly justify specific separation. The leaves 

 of the above plant are very much larger than in T. Sintenisii, 

 and are oval (not rotund), the latter being only 1.5 2 cm. long 

 and wide; the branches of the hairs are never verticillate, but 

 always irregular, both in size and position. 



Alternanthera Culebrasensis Uline, n. sp. 



Prostrata caulibus gracilibus, radicantibus, praecipue superne 

 pube densa appressa vestitis; foliis rotundatis breviter pedecella- 

 tis, supra (nisi junioribus) glaberrimis, subtus densius pilosis, 

 pilis caulium foliorumque verticillatim ramulosis; capitulis ovatis, 

 desifloris sessilibus, solitariis vel binis; sepalis dorso pilosis, pilis 

 setigeris, exterioribus trinerviis, interioribus plicato-carinatis, 

 omnibus brevissime aristatis quam bracteis 2-plo longioribus; 

 staminodiis filamenta fertilia aequantibus, usque 5-laciniatis, 

 filamentis in J/ altitudine coalescentibus. 



Caules vix i mm. diametro, internodiis 3-6 cm. longis. Folia 

 1.5 2.5 cm. longa lataque, basi saepe inaequilatera, membrana- 

 cea, in sicco laete virida, in axillis cristas lanosas gerentia. Cap- 

 itula 4 6 mm. longa. f lores 3 mm. longi, 2 mm. lati. Anther- 

 arum theca lineari-lanceolatae. 



* Symbols Antillame, Vol. I, p. 301. 



Contrary to the common acceptation of the present limits of the genus Alternanthera, which 

 is made by Bentham, Grisebach, Schinz, Kuntze and others to include 'I elanthera excl. Litho- 

 phila, and Mogifhaites, Dr. Urban has published his new species under the old Telanthera, 

 However, the merging of these two genera seems in the opinion of the writer to be justifiable on 

 the ground that it is impossible to lay hold of any pervading character that can logically separate 

 them. Both have simple capitate stigmas, stamens coalescent, and a tube with flat, simple or 

 dentate to laciniate staminodia of varying lengths. On account of this latter character, the old 

 division, based as it was on relative length of stamineal tube and staminodia, falls away. The 

 writer prefers to relegate the transfer of Dr. Urban's species to the hands of the ever active 

 botanical nomenclator. 



