388 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



I have preferred, at least for the present, to regard plants which 

 differ only in comparatively superficial foliar and habital characters as 

 varieties of a single species, rather than specifically distinct. I have, 

 however, made an exception in the group of forms closely related to 

 K reflexa. Here, because of imperfect material of E. reflexa and 

 E. paniculata and of certain puzzling specimens from Yucatan, I have 

 not been able to arrive at a wholly clear conception of the relationships 

 of the different forms ; and I have allowed described species to stand 

 as such, rather than make new combinations which later might have to 

 be withdrawn. 



For the loan of specimens, and for other kindly assistance in the 

 preparation of this paper, I am indebted to Captain John Donnell 

 Smith, to Mr. Brandegee of the University of California, Dr. Rose of 

 the National Herbarium, and Dr. Greenman of the Field Museum. 

 All specimens cited are in the Gray Herbarium, unless otherwise 

 specified. 



ECHEANDIA Ort. Perianth rotate, spreading or reflexed in flower, 

 after anthesis the withered segments cohering above the ovary and 

 persistent until pushed off by the expanding capsule ; segments 6, 

 distinct, three-nerved, about equal in length, the inner often broader. 

 Stamens G, hypogynous, shorter than the perianth ; filaments filiform 

 or clavate, smooth or more or less papillose- or crispate-roughened ; 

 anthers linear, hastate at base, the filament attached in the sinus, 

 usually equalling or longer than the filaments, connate in a cylindrical 

 tube which surrounds the style, introrse. Ovary sessile, three-lobed ; 

 style filiform, a little longer than the tube of anthers ; stigma small, 

 capitate. Capsule ovoid or oblong, triangular, loculicidal. Seeds 

 numerous, angulate-compressed, black, minutely papillose. — Roots 

 fibrous, clustered, often thickened or fusiform. Leaves basal or rarely 

 the lower part of the stem leafy. Stem scapiform, bracted, simple or 

 branched above, the branches virgate. Flowers yellow or white, on 

 usually slender jointed pedicels in clusters of 1-4 on the stem and its 

 branches, in the axils of chartaceous bracts, each pedicel subtended by 

 a similar smaller bractlet ; the clusters in virgate racemes. 



a. Filaments smooth; leaves strictly basal, not sheathing the stem, b. 



b. Stem scabrous. 1-4-bracted 1. E. parviflora. 



b. Stem smooth, 6-9-bracted, c. 



c. Leaves spreading, falcate, 15 cm. or less long . . 2. E. brevifolia. 

 c. Leaves erect, narrowed at base, more than 15 cm. long, d. 



d. Leaves broad, 2 cm. or more 3. E. nodosa. 



d. Leaves narrow, not over 1 cm. wide . 3. E. nodosa, var. lanceolata. 



