lechea. 97 



mucronate. upper leav es alternate lanceolate : 

 racemes foliose, pedicels shorter, ext. sepals 

 very long, capsules ovatoblong — New York and 

 Ohio, often mistaken for L. mllosa^ pedal, es- 

 tival, sepals linear and ovate. 



21. L. sESSiLiFLORA Raf. adprcssed pilose, 

 branches diffuse virgate, leaves scattered, 

 spreading, petiolate, linear ciliate acute ; flow- 

 ers axillary subspicate or glomerate sessile,ext. 

 sepals linear not much longer, internal lanceo- 

 late. In Florida and Alabama, near to \i, 

 />rti«6*/^orrt, main difference leaves petiolate ci- 

 liate acute. Near also to I^. floridana, but 

 flowers sessile. 



It would have been diflicult to designate 

 which of these plants may have been seen and 

 blended with those of Michaux by our Botanists 

 since Torrey, Beck, Nuttal, Pursh, Katon, El- 

 liot &c seldom describe those they have seen, 

 and never noticed the peculiar characters of 

 the calix, capsules and seeds, on which I have 

 chiefly based my subgenera and species; most 

 of which are very distinct, and not likely to be 

 overlooked again, if my characters are duly at- 

 tended to, and even more sp. may be detected. 



As to L. verticillata of the East Indies, it is 

 probably a peculiar Genus, being stated to have 

 the habit of Spermacoce, with opposite leaves 

 elliptic serrulate, smooth above, rough beneath, 

 and the flowers verticillate. Is it a Rubiacea 

 with adherent ovary ? 



The L. chinensis of Loureiro is still more 

 widely different, being a Commelineal (of what 

 Genus?) according to Smith and Dunal. The 

 monograph of Smith in Rees cyclop, may be 

 consulted, he has exposed the blunders of L. 

 and expressed a wish for a better labor like 



13 



