Lepulagathis.] 



XCVIII. ACANTHACE^ (cLARKE). 



121 



Species 80, in the hotter parts of tlie world, 



'liereof only 8 in America. 



This genus is by Bentham (Gen. PI. ii. 1068), by Lindau (Engl. & Prantl, I.e. 312), 

 and by other authors, specially diagnosed by having all the anthers 2-celled, by which 

 it is distinguished from Neuracanthus and other closely allied genera. I find the 

 posticous stamens throughout the sect. Neuracanthopsis (the species of which are placed 

 in Lepidagathis by Bentham and Lindau) to have 1-celled anthers. Lepidofjathis is 

 nevertheless well separated naturally from Neuracanthus by its 2-lipped corolla, and 

 is easily separated in dried specimens by its 5-sepalous calyx. 



* Eu-Lepidaqathis. — Posticous stamens with 2-celled anthers. 

 Inflorescence terminal. 



Leaves elliptic -lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate . . 1. Z. scaHosa. 



Leaves narrowly linear ... . . 2. Z. angusU folia. 



Inflorescence of dense heads near the crown of the root ; 

 the elongated leafy branches without flowers, or 

 rarely with a small axillary head. 

 Leaves hairy above and on the nerves beneath, 2 by 



L. radicalis. 



L. Schweinfurthii 



L. ampliaia. 



L. Fischeri. 

 L. anohrya. 



Leaves when mature very slightly hairy. 



Leaves 4 by i-^ in 4, 



Leaves 1^ by \ in., shining, rather wider above the 



middle 5 



Leaves glabrous, at least when mature. 



Leaves 2 by i in. 6 



Leaves 7 by i iu, . , . , . ,7 



Inflorescence of several axillary heads towards the 

 middle or upper part of the stems. (Inflorescences 

 near the base have been seen in one example of 

 L. myrtifolia and in one example of L. mollis.) 

 Inflorescence in short globose or ovoid heads. 



Mature leaves glabrate (in L. lanaioglahra the 

 uppermost leaves very hairy : see L. lanato- 

 glahra, var.). 

 Leaves 1 by i in. ; branches flexuous . . 8. i. myrtifolia. 



Leaves linear. 



Sepals without a fringe of white hairs on the 

 shoulders. 

 Leaves hardly 2 in. long. 



Sepals \ in. long, softly white-hairy at 

 the tip ..... 



Sepals \ in. long, bristle-tipped 



Sepals 1 in. long. .... 



Leaves 3 in. long ; inflorescence nearly 

 glabrous ...... 



Sepals with a fringe of white hairs on the 

 shoulders ...... 



Mature leaves hairy at least beneath. 



Heads scattered often in the lower part of the 

 stems ....... 



Heads in opposite axils 



Heads scattered, mostly in the upper axils, shaggy 



white ....... 16. L. andersoniana. 



Inflorescence of oblong erect dense one-sided spikes. 

 Floral leaves with recurved tails; sepals not 



tailed . . . . . . . 17. L. heudelotxana. 



9. 

 10. 

 11. 



12. 



13. 



L. sparsiceps. 

 L. lanaioglahra. 

 L. longisepala. 



L. perglahra. 



L. Jimhriata. 



L. mollis. 

 L. di versa. 



