fi9 

 OJi 



Leaves radical, broad, compressed, equitant, linear-ensiform, 

 many nerved (about six to eight). Spathe about five to six flow- 

 ered, pedicels unequal ; valves usually sub-equal, rarely somewhat 

 unequal, exterior one about equal to the flowers (variable) ; two or 

 three extra membranaceous valves (bracts) included ; perianth 

 bright translucent yellow ; segments broad lanceolate, acute ; nerves 

 tortuous ; exterior divisions seven-nerved, interior five-nerved, widely 

 spreading from the base ; filaments free above, monadelphous at the 

 base, (or barely united at the point of insertion into the ring or 

 obsolete tube of the corolla) equal to the style, glabrous, apex at- 

 tenuated. 



Anthers (orange yellow) long, linear, somewhat spirally curved, 

 forked or sagittate at the base, versatile, fixed by the middle ; style 

 deeply three-parted, filiform lobes spreading, each stigmatic, apex 

 recurved ; capsule oblong, triquetrous, the three sides slightly hol- 

 lowed, and the angles more acute than usual in this genus ; base 

 and apex of equal diameter. 



This species appears to be near to Dr. Torrey's >S'. Uneatimi, in 

 Lieut. Whipple's Report, p. 148 ; but they are not " three-flowered " 

 but five to six, nor divisions " obtuse," nor is the capsule of our 

 specimens ovately pear-shaped ; " the leaves are also less grassy, 

 but quite Iris-leaved, with a sharp or somewhat acuminate sword- 

 pointed appearance. 



The seed vessel turns unusually black as it matures, or in drying. 

 Its habitat is always in moist or marshy soils ; we have never found 

 it elsewhere. 



Juli/ 2, 1860. 

 President in the Chair. 



Dr. Ayres presented the following paper : 



In October, 1854, (Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. vol. 1, p. 13) a 

 description was given of a species under the name Brosmius marg- 

 inatus, though doubts were at the same time expressed of the pro- 

 priety of the generic designation. Several specimens of the same 

 species have since been obtained, and it is quite manifest that it 

 should be separated from Brosmius. The new genus, with the 

 following characters, may be called 



Haltas (Ayres) : — Teeth in both jaws, mid on the vomer and 

 palatines ; dorsal and anal long, not united with the caudal ; no 

 harhules ; ventrals slender, notjieshj. 



The species on which it is based is Ralias marginafus (Ayres). 



