402 ACANTHACEAE. 



3. GERARDIA [Plum.] L. Sp. PI. 610. 1753. 



[Stenandrium Xees, in Lindl. Introd. Nat. Syst. ed. 2, 444. 1836.] 



Low and small pubescent perennial herbs, acaulescent or nearly so, the 

 leaves in a basal tuft, the pink or purple flowers spieate on bracted scapes. 

 Calyx-lobes 5, narrow, nearly equal. Corolla with a slender tube, enlarged into 

 a slightly curved throat, the oblique 5-lobed limb spreading, the lobes unequal 

 and imbricated. Stamens 4, didynamous, included, the anthers 1-celled. Ovules 

 2 in each cavity of the ovary; stigma 2-lobed. Capsule fusiform or narrowly 

 oblong. Seeds flattened, rough or pubescent. [Commemorates John Gerardi, 

 1545-1607, famous English herbalist.] About 25 species, of tropical and sub- 

 tropical America. Type species: Gerardia tuberosa L. 



Bracts linear to linear-lanceolate, the lower 37 mm. long ; leaves 



entire. 1. G. droseroides. 



Bracts lanceolate, the lower 1 cm. long ; leaves repand-dentate or 



undulate. 2. G. tractcosa. 



1. Gerardia droseroides (Xees) Blake, Ehodora 20: 68. 1918. 



Stenandrium droseroides Xees, in DC. Prodr. 11: 284. 1847. 



Pubescent all over with soft hairs. Basal leaves forming small tufts, 

 membranous, oblong, entire, 3-4.5 cm. long, rounded or obtuse at the apex, the 

 petioles as long as the blades or shorter; scapes slender, 8-15 cm. high; spikes 

 slender, several-many-flowered ; bracts linear to linear -lanceolate, 3-7 mm. 

 long, acuminate; calyx-lobes linear, 2-3 mm. long; corolla white, its tube 3-4 

 mm. long, about as long as the lips; filaments very short; capsule oblong, 

 acute, glabrous, 4-5 mm. long; seeds suborbieular. 



Pine-lands, Abaco and New Providence : Cuba. Sundew Geeaedia. 



2. Gerardia bracteosa Britton & Millspaugh, sp. nov. 



Pubescent all over with long soft hairs. Basal leaves in large tufts, 7 cm. 

 long or less, firm in texture, the flat petioles of the larger ones as long as the 

 blades or longer, the blades oblong to oblong-obovate, 2-3.5 em. long, 8-18 mm. 

 wide, undulate or nearly entire, obtuse or acutish at the apex, narrowed at the 

 base ; scapes rather stout, 10-20 cm. high, naked toward the base, but floriferous 

 for nearly two-thirds their length; bracts lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, acute 

 or acuminate, 8-12 mm. long; calyx-lobes linear, acute about 6 mm. long; 

 corolla pink, about 17 mm. long, the tube somewhat shorter than the larger 

 lobes of the limb; anthers nearly sessile; capsule oblong, about 8 mm. long; 

 seeds suborbieular. 



Fields and coppices, Mariguana (P. Wilson V/72, type; 7M0). 



Apparently the same as Egger's 3960, from Acklin's Island, referred by Lindau 

 to Stenandrium rupestre (Sw.) Nees = Gerardia tuberosa L. Bracted Geeaedia. 



4. ANTHACANTHTJS Xees; DC. Prodr. 11: 460. 1847. 



Slender, much-branched shrubs armed with opposite axillary, curved or 

 straight spines, the leaves small, entire, often fascicled in the axils, the solitary 

 or fascicled flowers axillary, slender-peduncled. Calyx 5-cleft. Tube of the 

 small corolla cylindric, somewhat enlarged above, the limb spreading, unequally 

 5-lobed. Stamens 2; filaments short; anthers oblong, 2-celled; staminodia 2, 

 clavate or filiform. Style filiform; ovules 2 in each cavity of the ovary. 

 Capsule oblong, stipitate. Seeds 4 or fewer, compressed, tubercled. [Greek, 

 spiny flower.] About 6 species, natives of the West Indies. Type species: 

 Jttsticia spinosa Jacq. 



