E. L. EKMAN, WEST INDIAN VERNONIiE. 11 



Subsect. Sagraeanse. 



Sujfrutices a pice ramosi. Folia membranacea, breviter 

 petiolata vel subsessilia, elliptica vel late lanceolata, glabra 

 tomentosa, satis magna. Inflorescentia cymoso-scorpoidea, cy- 

 mis elongatis; bracteis evolutis, foliaceis. Calathidia majuscula. 

 Involucrum campanulatum vel cylindriciim, squamis multise- 

 riatis, imbricatis; appressis vel interdum apice recurvatis, ob- 

 tusis vel breviter cuspidatis. Beceptaculum planum, nudum. 

 Pappi setae interiores persistentes, finnidce, numero 40 70, 

 exterioribus distinctis 6 10-plo longiores. Corolla 8 10 mm 

 longa, glabra, tubo long. 2 / 3 corollce. Antherce magnce, 3 mm 

 et ultra longce, ligula long. l j 6 - 1 10 antheras. Achcenium glaber- 

 rimum. 



A very natural subsection, easily recognized by the large 

 heads, flowers and anthers, and, above all, by its glabrous 

 achenes. It shows no relationship with other West Indian 

 subsections, but is allied to V. glabrata Less, and other Bra- 

 zilian species. It is a remarkable fact that the allies of V. 

 glabrata do not occur in North Brazil nor in Guyana. Some 

 species belonging here have been found, however, in the 

 Andes of Bolivia, viz. V. robusta Rtjsby, V. subacuminata 

 Hieron. (= V. obtusata Less.) and V. velascensis Hieron. 



Gleason, having, of course, recognized the subsection, 

 in his Revision named it Fruticosce, supposing Vernonia 

 fruticosa (L.) Sw. to belong here. Recently he has found 

 that the latter species is to be removed from this subsection, 

 and he now calls the subsection Sagrceance, which name I 

 have adopted here, as I had originally used it myself just in 

 the same sense. 



Nearly all species of the subsection are imperfectly 

 known, the material collected being very meagre. Continued 

 collections are badly needed to supply dates for a defini- 

 tive delimination of the species, as well as for their frequence 

 and distribution. 



The distinctions of the species which belong here will 

 appear from the following key. 



