Plate 2547. 



ERYNGIUM CERVANTESII, Delar. 



UMBELLIPERiE. 



E. Cervantesii, Delar. Eryngor. Hist p. 47, t. 18, f. 1 {male) ; ex 

 affinitate E. reptantis, a quo differt foliis radicalibus fere linearibus 

 paucicrenulatis, carpellorum squamis biformibus. 



Perenne, glabrum, caulibus numerosis gracillimis procumbentibus 3-6 

 poll, longis. Folia herbacea, radicalia linearia vel lineari-spatulata, 

 1-14 poll, longa, deorsum valde attenuata, utrinque circiter 4-dentata, 

 eaulina breviora, 3-5-lobulata. Capitula parva, subglobosa, axillaris, 

 solitaria, brevissime pedunculata. Involucri bractece saepissime 5 

 lanceolatse, integrse, stellata?, rjgidse, punger^tes, circiter 3 lin. longa*. 

 I'alece latse, flores involventes, acunjinatse. Calycis dentes abrupte 

 apiculati demum incuryi. Carpella oblonga, appendicibus biformibus 

 elegantissimis vestita, inferioribus spiculiformibijs pilis minutissimis 

 uncinatis iijstnjctis, superioribus multo majoribus coi>icis cavis papil- 

 losis ; vittse 5, mjijutse ; styli elongati, recurvi. 



Mexico : Jacal, in the State of Hidalgo, in grass by ponds, W. 

 Schumann, in the Berlin herbarium. 



The only specimens I have seen of this species are those referred to 

 above. It is perhaps easily overlooked, or it may be rare, for many 

 trained collectors have botanised in the regipn where it grows. 

 Delaroche described it from an imperfect specimen received by 

 Humboldt and Bonpland from Cervantes himself, who had given it the 

 name of E. viviparmn. It is very distinct and different fronj all other 

 Mexican species, and the scales or app^ndages of the fruit, which are 

 of two kinds, passing abruptly from one to the other, are the most 

 elegant I have examined. — W. Bqtting Hemsley. 



Fig. 1, a bract; 2 and 3, pales ; 4, a flower; 5, a petal; 6, section of a carpel aud 

 seed showing the embryo ; 7, a cross section of a carpel about the middle ; 8, one of 

 the upper carpellary appendages ; 9, one of the loafer ditto. All enlarged. 



SERIES IV. VOL. VI. PART IT. 



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