552 ROBINSON: POLYCODIUM 
such as V. leucanthum Schlecht., V. stenophyllum Steud., and V. 
cubense Griseb., none at all closely allied to Polycodium. This is 
not all, for in the United States no single character is as certain 
to ensure the instant identification of Polycodium as the long- 
exserted anthers; moreover, the tubes forming the prolongation 
of the anther cells are unusually long, both absolutely and rela- 
tively to the anther cells. But there is a Mexican species, Vaccin- 
ium Kunthianum Klotzsch, so closely related to Polycodium 
stamineum that neither Kunth nor Dunal* thought it worthy of 
specific rank. Its stamens were described as half-exserted, and 
figured as well exserted, but in no collection that I have seen, 
so identified by others or by myself, can they be considered as more 
than barely exserted, the anthers are shorter than in the other 
species, and the anther tubes only about one and a half times the 
length of the anther cells. In all other respects it is a perfectly 
good Polycodium, and if the genus is to be maintained, must be 
transferred to it, forming a section by itself, on the basis of the 
characters just stated. 
Finally, the anther awns are often revolute, but too much 
emphasis should not be placed on this, as it is not always constant 
within a single flower; at least, however, they are divaricate, but 
so they are in species which no one has suggested separating from 
Vaccinium, such as V. caespitosum Michx. 
The flowers of Polycodium are articulated with the pedicel; 
this is also true of certain species placed in Vaccinium by most 
authors, notably of the Disterigma species. That group, which 
does not come north of Mexico, was until recently treated by all 
authors as a section of Vaccinium, but Niedenzut and Héroldt 
so far separate it from that genus that they place +t in the Thibaud- 
ieae. On the basis of floral characters there seems to be no 
reason for so wide separation; indeed, unless Vaccinium is to be 
radically divided, I at least believe that there is as much reason for 
placing V. Myrtillus L. and its American allies in a different 
genus from V. corymbosum L. and its allies, as there is for so segre 
gating Disterigma from the latter. Drude§ has placed considerable 
1839- 
* H. B. K. Nov. Gen. & Sp. 3: 267. pl. 253. 1819; DC. Prodr. 7: 568. 
+ Engl. Bot. Jahrb. 11: 209. 1889. 
} Engl. Bot. Jahrb. 42: 282. 1909. 
§ Engler & Prantl, Die Nat. Pflanzenfam. 4!: 32. 1889. 
