new plants from southern and lower california. 39 



Ptelea Aptera. 



In a recent winter trip into Lower California (January, 1883), 

 as far as Todos-Santos Bay, the season, though early, brought to 

 view quite a number of interesting plants. Among these was a 

 new species of Ptelea, quite similar in habit and general appearance 

 to the common northern plant P. a/igusii/olia, but remarkably dis- 

 tinct in its wingless fruit, requiring, in this respect, a modification of 

 the generic character. An examination of the specimens then collect- 

 ed, being in early flower, and mature fruit of the same, first seen by my 

 associate, C. R. Orcutt, afford the means for the following detailed de- 

 scription, viz. : 



Ptelea aptei'a. A densely-branched shrub, forming clumps five to 

 fifteen feet high, with stems one to two inches in diameter; young, 

 growing shoots, with reddish-brown bark, thickly beset with pustular 

 glands; leaves trifoliate, leaflets one-half to three-quarters of an inch 

 long, ovate to sub-rhombic, obscurely crenate, densely pubescent when 

 young, with distinct marginal veins, and pellucid punctate with larger 

 and smaller glands; inflorescence terminal in scant corymbs, or in 

 depauperate specimens single-flowered; flowers apparently all perfect in 

 four or five divisions, calyx short; pedicels, sepals, and outer surface 

 of corolla pubescent; stamens one-third shorter than the petals, fila- 

 ments smooth, widening towards the base, disc of ovary conspicuous, 

 stigmas sessile; fruit broadly ovate, lenticular, wingless, more or less 

 carinate, three to six lines long, three to four lines broad, bluntly emar- 

 ginate at base, and tipped with the persistent stigmas, two-celled, or oc- 

 casionally three — in the latter case bluntly triangular — -externally cov- 

 ered with pustular glands, seeds oblong, corrugated, black when mature, 

 occasionally both ovules developed in one of the cells ; unfertilized 

 flowers deciduous, as a whole. 



Habitat: Dry hill slopes near the sea at Punta-Banda, southern end 

 of Todos-Santos Bay. In early flower January 24th, at which time it 

 was collected by C. R. Orcutt, W. G. Wright, and the writer. The 

 pungent aroma is very agreeable and persistent. Tl'»e only change re- 

 quired in the generic character to admit this species would be to add 

 to the description after, "broadly-winged," or wingless, which is sug- 

 gested by the specific name adopted, viz., P. aptera. 



Polygala Fishl^. 

 Shrub three to five feet high, with slender, dependent stems, leaves 

 oblong-ovate, smooth, entire, obtuse, shortly petiolate, irregularly scat- 



