278 CONSPECTUS POLYCfALAKUM EUIIOP^ARUM. 



In Eossia centrali australique : ]}ei' Asiam borealem ceutralem- 

 que et etiam tropicam distributa, uecnou in Australia. 



One of the most widely distributed species of the genus, ranging 

 from Central Russia throughout Northern and Central Asia to 

 Japan ; throughout Temperate and Subtropical India to Ceylon ; 

 also in Tropical and Temperate Australia, reaching there the 

 furthest south of any species. Its distribution has, however, been 

 greatly obscured by its abundant synonymy. It varies greatly in 

 the size and form of the leaves, and the form and degree of 

 colouring of the wing-sepals ; it is best recognized by the shining 

 upper surface of the somewhat coriaceous leaves, the slender extra- 

 axillary racemes, and the conspicuous erect flowers, about the size 

 of those of the last sx^ecies. There are some well-marked Asiatic 

 varieties, but they do not belong to our flora. 



16. P. suBUNiFLORA, Boiss., Diag., ii., 1, 59; Fl. Or., i., 471. " P. 



perennis minuta ; caulibus filiformibus, serpentibus, basi 

 nudis, dein erectiusculis, densiuscule foliosis, glabris vel 

 minute puberulis, subsimplicibus ; foliis glabris, vuidibus, 

 obovatis, obtusis, basi breviter attenuatis, subsessilibus, 

 inferioribus minoribus ; racemis ad 1-3 flores reductis ; flori- 

 bus pedicello eis vix breviore suffultis, folia yix exceden- 

 tibus, caeruleis ; alis oblongis, subincurvis, basi attenuatis, 

 coroUam breviter cristatam excedeutibus, medio uninerviis, 

 nervo virenti, ramuloso ; petalis lateralibus quam carinam 

 sublongioribus ; ovario jmiiori ovato, sessili." 



Rarissima : ad nives supra fontem (Mauronerij Stygis in monte 

 Chelmos Arcadia?, alt. 7000'. 



I have never seen this Httle species, and know nothmg of it 

 beyond Boissier's description, quoted above. It may be merely a 

 dwarf alpine form of some other sj)ecies. Boissier has apparently 

 not himself seen the ripe capsule, and his description is hardly 

 full enough to determine its affinities with certainty. It is pos- 

 sibly more nearly allied to P. supiita. He describes the stem as 

 two to three inches long, the leaves two to five lines, and the 

 flowers the size of those of P. alpestris [aiuara, var.) ; and considers 

 that the serpylliform root-stock, the form of the leaves, and the 

 small number of flowers, remove it from near affinity to any other 

 si^ecies. 



ft. Arillode not apendiculate. 



17. P. RUPESTRis, Pour., Act. TouL, iii., 325; Reich., Ic, xviu., 91 ; 



Gr.ctGod., Fl. Fr., i., 198; Willk.etLge., Fl.Hisp., iii., 554 ; 

 Ball in Lhni. Journ., 1877, p. 350. P. caule basi perlignoso ; 

 ramis plurimis, virgatis, hirtellis ; foliis subcoriaceis, lan- 

 ceolatis, ellipticis, vel ovatis ssepe apiculatis, margine 

 incrassatis ; racemis axillaribus, valde paucifloris ; bracteis 

 parvis, ovatis ; sepalis exterioribus pubescentibus, ciliatis ; 

 alis multo longioribus, obovatis, subherbaceis, margine 

 membranaceis ; floribus deflexis ; petalis lateralibus an- 

 gustis, porrectis, per f liberis : carina pulchre fimbriato- 



