(243 ) 
ces above, tomentose beneath; glomerules numerous, dense, 
1.5 ¢ n diameter; involucre 4-5 mm. high, the outer scale 
slightly eee the inner and each tipped with a straight or bent 
spine; achene glabrous, 2 mm. sa pappus o.5-1 mm. long, of 
numerous unequal fimbriate segmen 
Type locality: ‘* habitat in ee ica meridionali.”’ 
Distribution : from Porto Rico south through the West Indies to 
Brazil. 
17, SPIRACANTHA H.B.K. Nov. Gen. 4: 28. 1818 
Heads r-flowered, aggregated into glomerules of 12-20 heads, 
each subtended by a coriaceous spinous bract ; inflorescence capitate, 
of several glomerules, subtended by 3 or 4 foliaceous bracts; invo- 
lucre of 5 or 6 scales in two series ; corolla 4- or 5-lobed ; style 2-lobed, 
with short branches; achene slightly compressed, oe 5- 
nerved; pappus of numerous stout erect unequal scales. Stem 
suffruticose, branching, bearing the spiny capitate glomerules on 
axillary or terminal peduncles 
A monotypic genus of tropical America. 
SPIRACANTHA CORNIFOLIA H.B.K. Nov. Gen. 4: 29. 1818 
Stem low, loosely branched, pubescent, 2-4 dm. high; leaves 
petioled, ovate, acute, entire, sparsely pubescent above, pale and 
rae rounded at the apex and bearing a squarrose spine one-third 
ne-half the length of the bract; heads 3-4 mm. high; scales 
linear, thin, glabrous, sharply acuminate, 1-nerved, 3 mm. long 
beset at the base with hairs of the same length; achene obovoid, 
cba, 2mm. 
Type locality: ‘* crescit in umbrosis humidis ad portum Sapote 
prope Rio Sinu 
Distribution: from Yucatan south to Colombia. 
