101 



DiCHROMENA Watsoni, n. sp. Culm stout, sulcata, nearly 

 smooth, 40 to 50 cm. high; leaves of the stem about 5, 15 to 20 

 cm. long, 5 to 7 mm. wide at the base, tapering to an acute 

 apex, about seven-nerved, the nerves impressed on the upper 

 surface and prominent on the lower; leaves of the involucre about 

 nine, resembling those of the stem; spikes about nine, acute, 12 to 

 15 mm. long, sessile, forming a capitate cluster at the summit of 

 the culm ; scales ovate-lanceolate, acute and mucronate with the 

 excurrent tip of the mid-nerve; achenium obovate, much shorter 

 than the scale, transversely rugose, tipped with a broad, depressed 

 tubercle; style very slender, two-cleft. 



A remarkably large species, the cauline leaves arising from 

 loose sheaths, and those of the involucre differing from other 

 species of the genus in being green to their bases. 



Collected by Dr. Sereno Watson in Guatemala, February to 

 April, 1885 (No. 153.) 



Dichromena nivea, Bceckl., under Rhynchospora nivea, Boeckl., 

 Linnaea, xxxvii., p. 528 (1871.) {D. diphylla, Torr., Herb, and 

 1. c. ; D. Reverchoni, S. Hart Wright, Bull. Torr. Club, ix., p. 

 m (1882.) 



Although this plant was collected by Lindheimer in Texas, 

 as long ago as 1847, ^ri<^ known to Dr. Torrey about that time, 

 I cannot find any publication of his name until Bceckeler's paper 

 above cited. It does not appear in the published lists of Lind- 

 heimer's collections. Boeckler, referring it to the genus Rhyn- 

 chospora, gave it another name, citing Torrey's as a synonym. 

 It appears to me that this is ample publication and that the later 

 name of Mr. Wright cannot stand. As regards the names of 

 Boeckeler and Torrey, both are cited as manuscript synonyms by 

 the former, with D. nivea one line before D. diphylla — a nice 

 point in nomenclature but sufficient for priority. The species is 

 represented by Lindheimer's No. 718, Berlandier's 2089, Rever- 

 chon's 1233, and by a .specimen collected by Wright, all from 

 Texas. Also from Arkansas (Beyrich, Leavenworth.) 



PSILOCARYA NITENS (Vahl.) {Scirpus nitens, Vahl, Enum. 

 PL, ii., 272 (1806); P. rhynchosporoides. Torn, Ann. Lye. N. Y., 

 iii., p. 361 (1836); Rhynchospora nitens, Gray.) 



The relationship of this species to the P. scirpoides, Torn, 



