232 



usually clustered, erect, 2 dm. or mostly 3-4 dm. tall, nearly 

 straight, simple; leaves linear or linear-lanceolate, I or usually 

 2-7 dm. long, acuminate, more or less curved, nearly flat or in- 

 volutely folded; sheaths I-3 cm. long, sometimes slightly ciliate ; 

 involucre of 2 lanceolate or linear-lanceolate nearly equal or very 

 unequal leaf-like bracts which are usually much smaller than the 

 leaves ; flowers dark blue or purplish or rarely white, large, 3-4 

 cm. broad; pedicels 2.5-5 cm. long, sepals large, elliptic, ovate or 

 ovate-lanceolate, 12-18 mm. long, obtuse or acutish, villous with 

 long non-glandular hairs about twice as long as broad, becoming 

 membranous; petals sub- orbicular, 1.4-2 cm. in diameter; capsule 

 5-7 mm. long, glabrous; seeds oblong, about 3 mm. long. 



Hillsides and along streams, New York and Illinois, Virginia 



nd Arkansas. May-June. 



5. Tradescantia reflexa Raf. 



? Tradescantia canalicidaia Raf. Atl. Journ. 150. 1832. 



Tradescantia reflexa Raf. New Fl. Part 2, Zj. 1836. 



Tradescantia reflexa var. drepisia Raf. New Fl. Part 2, 88. 

 1836. 



Perennial by a rootstock and numerous rather delicate roots, 

 slender or stout, glabrous, glaucous. Stems solitary, erect. 4-9 

 dm. tall, nearly straight, commonly much branched, sometimes 

 purplish ; leaves linear, 2-5 dm. long, straight, or somewhat 

 curved, long attenuate ; sheaths large, I-3 cm. long, glabrous or 

 rarely slightly villous; involucres of 2 unequal finally reflexed 

 leaf-like bracts ; flowers blue, or often red, 2-3 cm. broad, the um- 

 bel-like cymes at maturity usually dense; pedicels slender, 2-2.5 

 cm. long, crowded ; sepals oblong or elliptic, apparently lanceo- 

 late by the involute edges, 8-10 mm. long, hooded, mostly with a 

 tuft of hairs at the apex, sometimes glabrate, 3-4 times as long as 

 broad, leathery; petals suborbicular ; capsule ovoid or oblong, 5-6 

 mm. long, glabrous, constricted above the middle ; seeds oblong, 

 3 mm. long, with irregular transverse ridges. 



In sandy or clay soil, in the Gulf States and from South Caro- 

 lina to Indian Territory and Texas; ascends the Mississippi Valley 

 to Minnesota. May-August. 



South Carolina : Elliott ; Georgia : Small ; Florida : Garber, 

 Nash ; Alabama : Earle and Underwood ; Mississippi : Tracy ; 

 Texas : Drummond ; Indian Territory : Palmer. 



Conspicuous on account of its tall and proportionately slender 

 habit, its narrow elongated leaves and usually very dense flower 

 clusters, I have adopted the specific name reflexa of Rafinesque 



