E. L. EKMAN, WEST INDIAN VERNONI^. 77 



Having attributed the name V. gnaphalifolia to the plant 

 lioro called V. leptodada Sch.-Bip., Gleason could find no 

 name for the genuine V. gnaphalifolia, and consequently in 

 his »Revision» described it as a new species, V. sublanata 

 Gleason. Prof. Urban, however, called his attention to the 

 fact that V. sablanata was identical with V. gnaphalifolia, 

 and enabled Gleason to correct his mistake himself. 



The species is rather variable, both as to the shape of the 

 leaves and the density of their pubescence. In the »Revision» 

 Gleason described a variety angustata of the species, having 

 narrowly oblong leaves. This variety he raises to specific rank 

 in his »Studies ». I remember having seen elsewhere this var- 

 iety, though I find no notes about it in my lists. It is, how- 

 ever, not probable that it is a species. The shape of 

 the leaves varies strongly in all Vernonise. If species were to 

 be based only upon leaf-characters, hundreds of species could 

 be described on the West Indian material. Evidently there 

 must be other characters combined with the different shape 

 and nervature of the leaves to warrant the rank of a parti- 

 cular species. I imagine that Gleason will fail to give these 

 for his V. angustata. 



6. The allies of Vernonia sericea L. C. Rich. 

 Yeriionia eomimitata Ekman n. sp. 



Tabula nostra IV, fig. 4 (habitus). 



Suffrutex, certe 3,5 dm altus. Caulis (cujus pars superior 

 tantum adest) inferne simplex, superne ramosus, lignosus, 2 

 mm. diam., teres, striatus, tenuiter appresso-pubescens, inferne 

 nudus, superne foliatus. Folia alterna, patentia, subsessilia 

 vel breviter petiolata, petiolo 1 — 2 mm longo; laminse lanceo- 

 lato-lineares, 4,5 cm longee, 0,4 — 0,5 cm latse, basi sensim attenu- 

 atse, apice acutae, membranacese, integerrimse, margine revo- 

 lutse, supra rugulosae, tuberculis saepe piliferis scabrse, subtus 

 in nervis appresse strigoso-pubescentes, in areolis crebriter 

 aureo-glanduloso-punctatae, costa nervisque utriusque lateris 

 numero 12 — 15, supra leviter impressis, subtus exsculptis, 

 Inflorescentia cymoso-scorpioidea, ovalis, satis laxa, diffusa, 

 cymis elongatis, divaricatis, maximis 1 dm longis, 4 — 8-ce- 



