XV. A NEW SPECIES OF KNEIFFIA. 

 By Otto E. Jennings. 



Kneiffia sumstinei n. sp. Sumstine's Sundrops. 



Stems simple, somewhat shrubby, about 3.5 dm. high, ascending 

 from the base, or nearly erect, densely hairy above, with very widely 

 spreading, or mainly reflexed, stiff, silvery hairs, 2-3 mm. in length. 

 Leaves entire, 3-6 cm. long, .5-1.2 cm. wide, stiff and ascending, 

 the lower slightly hairy, linear-obovate, rounded at the apex, at the 

 base narrowed into a margined petiole from the attachment of which 

 striations run down the stem. Upper leaves becoming lanceolate or 

 ovate-acuminate, sessile, very densely hairy on both sides, with widely 

 spreading, or reflexed, silvery hairs 1-1.5 mm. long. Flowers 8-12, 

 diurnal, bright yellow, erect in the bud, in the axils of bracts as large 

 as the upper leaves and similar to them, aggregated into a rather dense 

 corymbose inflorescence ; calyx-tube linear-funnel-form, prolonged 

 1-1.4 cm. beyond the ovary, sparsely pubescent, calyx segments re- 

 flexed in flower, lanceolate, about as long as the tube, tips linear, 2-3 

 mm. long, erect, or ascending from widely diverging bases, the tips 

 and the upper fourth of the calyx-segments tomentose -pubescent ; 

 petals obcordate, 2.2-2.5 ^^^^- ^^^^S^ - c'^^- ^^'ide ; stamens of ecjual 

 length, or very nearly so, about two thirds the length of the petals ; 

 style slightly longer than the stamens, the lobes of the stigma linear, 

 widely spreading, 4-6 mm. long. Mature capsule not seen : ovary 

 sessile, oblong to slightly obovate, faintly winged, densely pubescent 

 with ascending hairs. Dry upland field near Kittanning, D. R. Sum- 

 stine, June, 1905. Type specimens in the Pennsylvania Herbarium 

 of the Carnegie Museum. Ace. No. 2905. 



This species is evidently nearly related to Kneiffia fruticosa (Lin- 

 naeus) Raimann, perhaps more closely to Kneiffia fruticosa pilosella 

 (Rafinesque-Schmaltz) Britton, but in general appearance it is quite 

 different, the strictly simple habit, the large leafy bracts, and the 

 more densely aggregated inflorescence serving to differentiate it at 

 once. Further differences are apparent in the mostly reflexed, silvery 



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