256 : The Botanical Gazette. (August, 
clusters toward the upper part of the stem. The sepals are four, oc- 
casionally five, narrowly triangular-lanceolate, with a green mid-vein; 
the stamens are three, as described, but sometimes only two, rising 
from a small round disk in the bottom of the calyx; the two-celled 
oblong anthers are little shorter than the filaments, 
As to bracts: the author of this species states correctly that the 
branches of the inflorescence are each subtende y an ovate-triangu- 
lar, acute, small, appressed bract marked by a green mid-vein. This 
bracteate. Endlicher, Moquin, and their followers, describe the flow- 
ers as /ri-bracteate, an error which seems. to have arisen by looking 
only at the terminal flowers of each cluster. For only in that case 
are there three bracts, one subtending the branch on which the flower 
rests, and two, opposite each other, subtending the rudimentary con- 
tinuation of the dichotomy. See fig. e, plate xvut. 
Another error, also initiated by Endlicher, is the statement that the 
style is “very short,” and the stigmas “two, filiform.” The artist nas 
drawn these parts correctly in the accompanying plate. And the 
author of this species is here also right when he says, “Styles two, 
diverging, curved outward, stigmatic all down the inner side.” These 
stigmatic surfaces are under the lens densely long-papillose. Fig: § 
shows the direction of styles at the time of blooming; figs. f and sbi 
the time of maturity. The author evidently described them in the 
young state. ‘ 
By its spatulate sepals this plant is related to the section Amblogym 
by its warty, indehiscent utricle, to Zusxolus; by its uni-bracteate 
ae oe m 
flowers, to Mengea. But by its other characters it is distinct fro 
all, and deserves to stand in a section by itself, § SCLEROPUS, spain 
Jirst name, Amarantus crassipes Schlecht.— Joun M. HoOLzinGER, 
partment of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. tis 
EXPLaNaTION OF PLATE XVII.—Fig. 1. Upper part of a plant oe we 
crasstpes, nine-tenths natural size, showing mucronate apex of sth ga 
2, 0, c,d. Flower clusters showing the mode of inflorescence. bes * e 
2 younger flower cluster with pedicels not yet fully incrassate. Fig. h mature 
inal flower, with ‘three bracts.’’ ig A pistillate flower, wit pee 
utricle, with part of subtending bract on the ce ite ted 
flower is also shown. Fig A younger pistillate flower, the pistil pe 6 
from the calyx Figs. 4, 2’. A sepal s plant, and of fie’ te 
Fespectively. Figs. #, i Seeds of these two species. eae flower 
flower with a staminate flower at its base. Fig. / Part of a s' 
showing the small disk at the bottom of the calyx. 
