Plant Novelties from Florida* 
| Joun K. SMALL 
The species and genera proposed and described on the follow- 
ing pages represent discoveries made, for the most part, in the 
course of exploration in peninsular Florida during the past few 
years by the writer and his associates in the field-work 
V Tradescantia roseolens Small, sp. nov. Stems tufted, 2-4 
dm. tall, pubescent, especially above, with unequal ascending 
glandless hairs, ultimately branched; leaves elongate, the basal 
and lower ca uline equalling or exceedin ng the stem, gradually 
tapering, mostly involute, pubescent with Sia hairs, striate, 
the margins reddish, the veins reddish in the shea ths: bracts 
rose-scented; pedicels slender-clavate, densely pubescent with 
short spreading gland-tipped hairs; — elliptic 9-IO mm. 
long, pubescent like the pedicels and somewhat tufted at the 
apex, Margenta-margined; petals blue, I reeis mm. long, orbic- 
ular-ovate, erose-cren ulate; anthers lemon-yellow; ovary hir- 
sutulous; style glabrous; capsule not seen.—Inland sand- cures 
southern peninsular Florida. 
The genus Tradescantia, already generously represented in 
the southern States, is now augmented by the species described 
above. A species of northern peninsular and eastern Florida, 
Tradescantia longifclia, is the nearest relative of T. roseolens. 
The latter differs from its relative, not only in structural features, 
such as smaller flowers and glandless stem, but also in the fra- 
grance of the flowers which resembles that of tea-roses, hence 
the specific name. Tradescantia roseolens inhabits the ‘‘scrub” 
or that portion of it in the southern part of the lake region. It 
is particularly plentiful on the ancient dunes between Avon 
Park and Sebring. It is often so abundant that the fragrance 
of its flowers fills the air in the neighborhood of the plants. 
Plants are sometimes found in the gardens of recently established 
settlements, but whether their presence there is the result of 
introduction or the remains of the original plant covering of the 
type specimens of all the novelties described in this paper are in 
the a of The New York Botanical Garden. 
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