E. L. EKMAN, WEST INDIAN VERNONLE. 61 



the type being somewhat different from V. divaricata, above 

 all in its elongated corollas (7 mm). It remains, however, 

 probable that the particular habit of V. albicoma is connected 

 with its occurrence in shade localities and, since the idea of 

 the unity of V. divaricata Sw. as here understood seems to 

 me very admissible, the species having no very near relative 

 in Jamaica, I have decided to place V. albicoma under V. 

 divaricata Sw. Besides, there are intermediate forms between 



V. albicoma and V. divaricata, for instance, Wilson n. 238. 



In the following I have tried to characterize with a few 



words the most prominent forms of V. divaricata. What 



I have said about the forms of V. arborescens (L.) Sw. and 



V. albicaulis Pers., might be verbatim repeated here. 



1. The type of V. divaricata Sw. : Leaves nearly glabrous. 

 Cymes widely spreading, many heads without bracts. Scales 

 cream-coloured, inner ones not purplish, relatively long-acu- 

 minated. Besides the type specimen in the Stockholm Her- 

 barium, there belong here the specimens collected by Distin. 

 A specimen collected by William Wright in the Stockholm 

 Herbarium has shorter cymes; Hansen in 1897 has more 

 densely pubescent leaves; Purdie in the Kew Herbarium 

 has leafy cymes. 



2. The type of V. albicoma Gleason: The most glabrous 

 form! Inflorescence rather lax. Heads comparatively large, 

 inner scales somewhat elongated, purplish. Corolla 7 mm 

 in length. Campbell n. 6152. 



3. The type of V. arborescens Gleason, not of Swartz: 

 The central form, having rather tomentose leaves, shorter, 

 arcuated, nearly leafless cymes, with somewhat aggregated 

 heads. Inner scales purplish, shortly acuminated. To this 

 Wilson n. 238, Eggers n. 3481 etc. 



4. The type of V. arborescens Sw. : A densely tomentose 

 form with short cymes, crowded heads, and purplish, shortly 

 acuminated inner scales. The type specimen of V. intonsa 

 Gleason belongs here, further Harris n. 5622. Lehmann 

 n. 989 and Harris n. 6993 represent intermediate forms 

 between V. arborescens Gleason and V. arborescens Sw. 



5. The type of V. permollis Gleason: The most densely 

 tomentose form with broad, rounded leaves, short, nearly 

 bractless cymes, and very crowded heads. The scales are 

 glabrous towards the tip, or with a tuft of hairs near it. The 



