APRIL, 1904. PLANTS YUCATAN^; MILLSPAUGH & CHASE. 103 



tan as "Santa Maria," and used in domestic medicine as a febrifuge 

 as we use boneset in the north. Cultivated in the interior, called 

 CHALCHAY, "Resin plant," by the Mayas and used by them with excel- 

 lent success as an antiperiodic in malarial forms of fever; also as an 

 emmenagogue. 



Dond says:* "Its action upon the uterus is recognized. When 

 for any cause menstruation is interrupted take a few of the wilted 

 (salcochando) leaves at intervals during the day." 



SPIRACANTHA H. B. K. Nov. Gen. et Sp., 4:22, t. 313. 



Heads i flowered, flower perfect, fertile, tubular. Involucre 

 narrow, of hyaline bracts in 2 series of 3 each, unequal. Receptacle 

 naked. Achene subcompressed, faintly nerved; pappus of many stout, 

 erect, unequal, caducous bristles. Low, fruticose; heads aggregated 

 in spinescent glomerules. 



Spiracantha cornifolia H. B. K. Nov. Gen. et Sp., 4:22, t. 313. 



A low, diffusely branching, woody herb with terete, pubescent 

 stems and branches, and alternate, short-petioled, ovate or elliptical, 

 acute leaves, dark green and pubescent above, pale tomentose beneath. 

 Inflorescence of terminal and axillary clusters of 2-5 spiny glomerules; 

 the clusters on a common hirsute peduncle, .5-5 cm. long, solitary or 

 several in the axils of the leaves. 

 Heads i flowered, minute, 12 to 20 

 aggregated in an ovoid glomerule 

 subtended by a wide, adnate, leaf- 

 like, veiny bract, the heads each sub- 

 tended by a broad, hirsute, cori- 

 aceous bract, bearing a squarrose 

 spine. Involucral bracts hyaline, 

 ciliolate at the summit, mucronate, 

 clothed with long silky hairs at 

 the base, i nerved, the outer longer. 

 Corolla purple, 4 or 5 lobed. Re- 

 ceptacle minute. Achene dull 

 brown, .9x2.1 mm.; obovoid, at- 

 tenuate at the base, apex obtuse; 



in section oblongo-elliptic; obscurely 5 nerved, glabrous; pappus 

 bristles upwardly barbed, .5-1 mm. long. , 



Hab. "Herb,- 12 inches high, uncommon," Yot Donot, Gaumer 

 1335- 



NOCCA Cav. Icon., 3:12, t. 224. 



Heads i flowered, aggregated in dense capitate glomerules, sub- 

 tended by herbaceous bracts. Involucre calyx-like, tubular, gamo- 

 phyllous. Receptacle naked. Achene laterally compressed, nerved; 

 pappus (in our species) reduced to a tuft of short hairs on the apex. 

 Herbs or shrubs. 



*Ensayo Botanico, 1894 : 12. 



