204 



13. P. rubra, Nov. Sp. — 62i mm. to 100 mm. high; leaves oblong, densely 

 hairy, sometimes having a reddish color, three or five-nerved, obtuse, margins en- 

 tire or strongly denticulate, petioles short, densely hairy ; spike cylindrical, densely 

 flowered, 12.^ mm. to 125 mm. long; scape densely hairy, 25 mm. to 200 mm long; 

 sepals acute, scarious, with a thick centre (Plate 17) ; capsule oblong, obtuse, 

 sometimes purple, longer than the calyx, circumscissile below the middle, two- 

 seeded; ripe seeds dark red, surface dull, minutely striate longitudinally, cross 

 section slightly anther shape (Plate B, Fig. 5); longitudinal section oval (Plate 

 E, Fig. 5); size 5 mm. x 2] mm.; hilum at centre of seed. 



Separated from P. Virginica by the dense hairs, acute sepals, shape and de- 

 hiscense of capsule, color, cross section and size of seeds. 



Sandy soil in western United States. 



Specimens examined.- Indian Territory (P. Virginica, Dr. Palmer, 1868, 

 253, National Herbarium); Southwestern Texas (P. Virginica, Dr. Palmer, Sep- 

 tember, 1879, 1108, National Herbarium); Mesas, Arizona (P. Virginica, var. 

 longifolia, C. F. Pringle, May 3, 1884, National Herbarium); Mexican Boundary 

 Survey (P. Virginica, W. H. Emory, 707, National Herbarium); Mesas, Texas 

 (P. Virginica, var. longifolia, C. F. Pringle, May 3, 1884, Herbarium of J. M. 

 Coulter). 



14. P. sparsiflora Michx. — The description of this species, according to Chap- 

 man's Manual, is as follows: Leaves smooth, lanceolate, toothed or entire, nar- 

 rowed into a long petiole; scape much longer than the leaves, pubescent below; 

 spike 6'' to 9' long, loosely flowered; bracts ovate; calyx lobes obtuse; capsule 

 two- seeded. 



Moist pine barrens, Georgia and South Carolina. June — September. 



The following specimens so referred were examined: Pdtnam County, In- 

 diana (D. T. McDougal, July 30, 1888, DePauw Herbarium); Union County, 

 Illinois (G. H. French, July 27, 1878, National Herbarium); Wyandotte, Kansas 

 (Elihu Hall, September, 1869, National Herbarium); Columbia, South Carolina 

 (E. A. Smith, April 15, 1891, Herbarium of the University of Minnesota). 



The first three of these should be referred to P. Rugelii and the fourth one 

 to P. Virginica. 



?3. Flowers polygamo— dioecious ; stamens, 2 ; corolla closed over fruit; 

 seeds irregularly lobed in cross section. 



* Leaves linear to filiform, smooth or minutely pubescent ; scape very slender. 



15. P. elongata Pursh. (P. pusilla, Nutt. ). — 25 mm. to 100 mm. high ; leaves 

 linear to filiform, smooth or minutely pubescent, margins entire; sj^ike 12J mm. 



