E. L. EKMAN, WEST INDIAN VERNONIiE. 89 



pappus, the bristles of the outer series being extremely indis- 

 tinct, filiform. In general habit it recalls the Scorpioides, from 

 which it differs, at first sight, in the colour of the pappus. 



Vernoiiia psillescens Gleason. 



Tabula nostra VI, fig. 3 (inflorescentia). 

 Vcrnonia pallescens Gleason, 190G b, p. 192. 



De characteribus analyticis, vide supra. 



Hab. in St. Vincent: in silvis montium, alt. 600 — 900 m, 

 Juli. 1899, H. H. et G. W. Smith n. 922 (K, KU). 



From a remark on the label of the specimen cited (KU): 

 »Vernonia = St Vincent, Anderson» it appears as if already 

 Anderson had collected the species. 



Subsect. Polyanthes. 



Frutices vel suffrutices scepissime elati. Folia membranacea, 

 jorina et magnitudine varia, indumento numquam sericeo. In- 

 florescentia cymoso-paniculata, scepe ampla, plurijlora, rotundata, 

 ci/mis brevibus, irregulariter ramosis, calathidiis inferioribus 

 scepe {in spec, antillanis semper) pedurxidatis; bracteis nullis. 

 Calathidia parva — mediocria, ad 2o-flora. Receptacidum sub- 

 planum. Pappi setce interiores persistentes, filiformes, tenues, 

 exteriores subdistincfoe. Corolla glabra. Antherce minores. Achce- 

 nia tenuissime pubescentia. 



The subsection thus defined includes a great number of 

 species from the Andes (F. baccharoides H. B. K. and its allies), 

 from Brazil ( V. polyanthes Less, and its allies), and from Mexico 

 {V. lanceolaris DC. and its allies). It matches the species- 

 -groups Deppeance of Gleason, V. canescens H. B. K. exclu- 

 ded, further, his Havanenses except V. pallescens Gleason, 

 his Paniculatoi dichotomce, and, may be, some of his Panicu- 

 latce umbelli formes. The West Indian representatives are out- 

 lying species of apparently very ancient origin. They may 

 have originated from Columbia, where allied forms still live. 



The West Indian species can be divided into two smaller 

 groups, one including V. havanensis DC. and its allies, the 

 second V. meyithcefolia (Poepp. ) Less. To the latter species 

 Gleason attributes a higher taxonomic rank, making it the 



