BousaingauUia 



BASELLACE^ 



173 



1. BOUSSINGAULTIA H. B. & K, 



Root perennial. Flowers in axillary and terminal branching 

 rapemes. Sepals oblong, obtuse, somewhat shorter than the 

 corolla and adnata to its base, not changing in fruit. Petals 

 spreading. Stigmas, obtuse. Cotyledons broad, plano-convex. 



Species 10, natives of tropical America. 



Fig. 65. — BousgingatUtia leptostachys Mcki. 



A, Portion of flowering brancli x §. 



B, Flower of B. baselloidea H. B. & K. X 3. 



C, Do. cut lengthwise x 3. 

 after Baillon.) 



(B and C 



B. leptostaehys Moq. in DC. Prodr. xiti. pt. 2, 229 (1849) ; 

 Vrh. Symb. Ant. iv. 233. (Fig. 65.) 



Near Kingston, 250 ft. ; Campbell ! Fl. Jam. 6703. — Hispaniola, Porto 

 Rico, St. Thomas, St. Cruz, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mexico, Yucatan, 

 Brazil. 



Leaves ovate or ovate-elliptical, 2-6 om. 1., 1*5-4 cm. br. ; stalks 

 4-7 mm. 1. Eoce^nes lax, much longer than the leaves. Bracts H'5inni.\., 

 linear-acuminate. Pedicels about 1 mm.l. Flowers white. Bracteoles 

 •6 mm. 1., triangular-cuspidate. Sepals 1-nerved, keeled. Petals about 

 2 mm. 1. Styles 1 mm. 1. 



Basella alba L. and JB. rubra L. are cultivated in many tropical 

 countries, the tender, succulent leaves making a good " spinach." 



