209 



Gronovins iu turn closely followed the description of Sloaiie in his Hist. 

 Jamaica, vol. 1, p. 201 (ITUT). t. 128, f. 3, his added characterization.s being 

 of very doubtfnl value. 



Through the courtesies of the otlicials of the Linna-an [Society I was 

 able to examine the Cuscut;ii in the Linna^au collection. This collection 

 liad evidently been examined by Dr. Engelmann in his study of the 

 genus and his penciled annotations were upon the various sheets. There 

 are three sheets, each of which is labeled C. Americana in the Avell known 

 writing of Linnanis. One of these is evidently Cuscuta Gronovii Willd, 

 and Dr. Engelmann so regarded it, as is shown by his annotation. An- 

 other is probably Cuscuta umbellata H. B. K., at least it was so referred 

 by Dr. Engelmann. and whether the reference be correct or not, the plant 

 is certainly not the same as that upon the other two sheets. It is on the 

 plant upon the remaining sheet that Dr. Engelmann rests his conception 

 of the Cuscuta Americana of Linnaus. It might lie a fair question, in 

 passing, as to why either of the other sheets might not have been selected 

 as the basis of the Linn;i^an C. Americana. 



The plant upon the third sheet, then, is to lie taken as representing 

 the notion of Linnaeus of the species undoi- consideration. The specimen 

 upon this sheet conforms fairly to Engelmann's description and als-o to 

 that of Choisy, 1841, although it might be said that Choisy's figures of 

 C. Americana L. in Choisy's Cuscuta, Jan. 21. 1841, No. 51, p. 18G tab. 4, 

 f. 4, could not have been derived from his description of the species in his 

 "Cuscuta enumeratio." The most cursory comparison of the description 

 and drawings will make this fact plain. 



The form upon this sheet, however, is not the same as Sloane's plant. 

 A careful study and dissection of the plant gives the following characters: 



CaJii.r .5-parted, polysepalous; lobes oval, acute, diverging from each 

 other at an acute angle, coriaceous throughout, about as long as calyx 

 tube. The calyx is quite large, being scarcely exceeded by the corolla. 

 No evidence of large cells, although undi"- hand lens the texture of the 

 sepal is seen to be coarse, simulating veining. 



CorolUt 5-parted. Tube at first cylindric, later somewhat urceolato 

 because of increase in size of ovary. Tube scarcely longer than calyx. 

 Lobes, oval, acute, finally reflexed about one-fourth length of tube; in 

 young flowers erect or spreading. Delicate in structure, no evidence of 

 large cells. 



14— A. OF SCIENCR. '04. 



