THE JOURNAL OF BOTANY 



12. R. sANTOLiNoiDEs. — A species kept by De Candolle (I. c. 

 p. 286). Harvey makes it a var of B. ericoidei< Cass., and, I think, 

 correctly. L'Heritier himself writes of this—" an satis distincta a 

 R. paleacea ? " 



13. R. puNGENs. — Kept up as such by Harvey. A synonym of 

 Eclopes suhpunijem Less, in DO. Prod. vi. p. 289. 



14. R. DECussATA. — This interesting plant seems to have been 

 entirely unknown to modern authors, and, in consequence, has been 

 the subject of several mistakes. De Candolle {l.c p. 288) leads off 

 by making R. decitssata L'Herit. a synonym of his lu-lopes devussata, 

 a species founded upon a plant of Ecklon's, and on Burchell 6763, 

 which latter is R. cuneata var. vir(jata. Harvey considers Burchell's 

 plant as typical R. ciomUa "Thbg.," and so far he is not very wide 

 of the mark ; but he then takes an unhappy leap in the dark by 

 hazarding the surmise that R. devussata L'Herit. may be a synonym 

 of R. cuneata " Thbg." The two plants, however, are entirely dis- 

 similar, R. devussata L'Herit. being more like R. speciom Harv. In 

 fact, its position in the genus is between punfjens and speciom, as 

 will'appear from the description here given :— 



Relhania (§ Evlopes) decussata L'Herit. Sert. Angi. p. 24. 

 Suffrutex erectus, rigidus, sursum sparsim ramosus, ramis strictis 

 foliosis juxta foliorum insertionem breviter araneoso-tomentosis 

 ceteroquin glabris, foliis pluri- (circa 6-) fariatim dispositis arete 

 imbricatis sursum divergentibus subulato-linearibus triquetrisapice 

 pungentibus carnosuUs, capitulis majusculis soHtariis sessilibus 

 campanulatis radiatis heterogamis, involucri phyllis circa 9-seriatis 

 exterioribus necnon intermediis oblongo-ovatis obtusis marginibus 

 scariosis erosulis intimis elongatis lanceolatis obtusis marginibus 

 inteo-ris, receptaculi paleis lineari-lanceolatis longe acuminatis, ligu- 

 lis involucrum pauUo superantibus, styU ramis apice obtusis, achae- 

 niis lineari-oblongis radii hirsutis disci puberulis minoribus et veri- 

 similiter steriUbus, pappi paleis angustissimis quam achaenia multo 

 brevioribus. ^ ^. ^ ... 



Caulis teres, 0-2 cm. diam., sursum foliosus deorsum vestigns 

 scutulaj formam habentibus instructus. Folia 0-5-0_-6 cm. long., 

 0-05 cm. lat., pagina sup. late canaliculata ibique breviter araneoso- 

 tomentosa ceteroquin glabra. Capitula circa 1-7 cm. long., vix 

 totidem diam. Involucri phylla extima 0*4 cm. intermedia 0-6 cm. 

 intima I'O cm long., hcTC 0-14 cm. lat., omnia sursum nitentia et 

 h^te brunnea. Receptaculi paleae 0-4 cm. long. Ligulfe lineari- 

 oblon^^^, circa I'O cm. long. ; corolL^ disci circa 0-5 cm. long. 

 Aciii^nia radii immatura 0-15 cm. long., 0-05 cm. diam. ; disci circa 

 1 cm. long, et 0-02-0.03 cm. lat. Pappi palese subsetacese, radn 

 ach^eniorum 0-12 cm. disci 0-04 cm. long. 



Evlopes ventauroldes DC. {I. v. p. 288) seems closely alhed to this, 

 but its branches are described as hirsute in the young state, the 

 heads are somewhat smaller, the inner involucral leaves " erose- 

 lacerate," and the achenes glabrous. It will be noticed that 

 L'Heritier's trivial name is misleading, as is his description of the 

 leaves as decussate, which they certainly are not. This mistake 

 has doubtless contributed to puzzle subsequent authors. 



