PlantcB Lindheimeriance. 183 



384. Schrankia platycarpa (sp. nov.) : glabra, leviter 

 aculeata ; pinnis 4-6-jugis ; foliolis oblongis ciliatis aveniis : 

 leguminibus latiuscule linearibus compressis acuminatis acu- 

 leis brevibus echinatis pedunculo subduplo longioribus, val- 

 vulis planis margine persistente (replo) fere duplo latioribus. 

 — Mimosa Roameriana, Scheele in Linncea, 21. p. 456? — 

 Dry, stony, prairies, New Braunfels. April, in flower; Sep- 

 tember, in fruit. — I have seen this species from other Texan 

 correspondents. It is distinguished from S. angustata, in 

 some degree by its rather broader and more ciliate leaflets, 

 and obviously by its legumes, which are about three inches 

 long, but a quarter of an inch in width, flat, and about twice 

 the breadth of the persistent margin ; thus confirming Mr. 

 Bentham's remark, that the genus is not sufficiently distinct 

 from Mimosa. The valves are rather sparsely, the thickened 

 margin densely, echinate with very short, somewhat uncinate 

 prickles. From the locality this is most probably the Mimosa 

 Roameriana of Scheele ; but that blundering and unscrupulous 

 propounder of species had not seen the legumes, and his 

 description applies nearlyas well to any other Schrankia. 

 To the latter genus, so long as it is maintained, the present 

 species must be referred, notwithstanding the flatness of 

 the pod. 



385. Desmanthus velutinus (Scheele in Linncea, I. c.) : 

 adscendens v. prostratus e basi suffrutescente ; caulibus petio- 

 lisque pube mollissima cinereis; pinnis 3-6-jugis, glandula 

 parva concava inter infimas ; foliolis 10-20-jugis lineari- 

 oblongis aveniis margine praesertim pilosis ; floribus decan- 



■ 



ve] ovali-oblongis mucronalis; panicula racemosa laxa; floribus 5-meris 10-andris; 

 legumine lato-lineari longiuscule stipitato membranaceo glabro nitido inermi 6-8- 

 spermo. — On the Rio Grande, Texas, Mr. Charles Wright. August, September, 

 in flower and fruit. Also gathered near Monterey, Northern Mexico, hy Dr. Gregg 

 and Dr. Edwards, without fruit; and east of Rinconada by Dr. Gregg in 1848. — 

 Plant with the habit of a Schrankia, canescent with a fine and very soft down ; the 

 partial and general petioles as well as the stem beset with numerous short uncinate 

 prickles. Leaflets 3 to 5 lines long. Flowers white, according to Mr. Wright, 

 yellowish according to Dr. Gregg. Legume two inches or more in length, with a 

 stipe half an inch long, very smooth. 



