Boiissingaultia 



BASELLACE.'E 



173 



1. BOUSSINGAULTIA H. B. ife K. 



Root perennial. Flowers in axillary and terminal branching 

 racemes. Sepals oblong, obtuse, somewhat shorter than the 

 corolla and adnate to its base, not changing in fruit. Petals 

 spreading. Stigmas obtuse. Cotyledons broad, plano-convex. 



Species 10, natives of tropical America. 



Fig. 65. BoiiSHinjaidtia leptostachys Moq. 



A, Portion of flowering branch X f. 



B, Flower of B. ba!<elloides H. B. & K. X 3. 



C, Do. cut lengthwise x 3. (B and C 

 after Baillon.) 



B. leptostachys Moq. in DC. Prodr. xiii.pt. 2, 229 (1849); 

 Urh. Symb. Ant. Iv. 233. (Fig. Qo.) 



Near Kingston, 250 ft. ; Campbell ! Fl. Jam. 5703. Hispaniola, Porto 

 Rico, St. Thomas, St. Cruz, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mexico, Yucatan, 

 Brazil. 



Leaves ovate or ovate-elliptical, 2-6 cm. 1., l"5-4 cm. br. ; stalks 

 4-7 mm. 1. Racemes lax, much longer than the leaves. Bracts ] '5 mm. 1., 

 linear-acuminate. Pedicels about 1 mm. 1. Flowers white. Bracteoles 

 G mm. 1., triangular-cuspidate. Se2)als 1-nerved, keeled. Petals about 

 2 mm. 1. Styles 1 mm. 1. 



Dasella alba L. and B. rubra L. are cultivated in many tropical 

 countries, the tender, succulent leaves making a good " spinach." 



