l^ 



the branch is actually in the axil, but elongation sets in at the 

 base of both bract and pedicel, where the two are in contact. 

 As this region where they are united increases in length, the 

 bract is borne away from the stem until it appears to spring 

 directly from the pedicel, but its basal continuation may often be 

 followed down the pedicel to the main axis. 

 The Johns Hopkins University, 

 Baltimore, Md. 



A NEW DEERBERRY FROM THE GULF REGION 



John K. Small 



In the course of two excursions across the southern parts of the 

 eastern Gulf States a peculiar-looking deerberry (Polycodium) 

 was frequently observed growing on the hills from western 

 Florida to Louisiana. The plants or colonies were always less 

 than knee-high. They comprised short erect foliage and floral 

 branches, the former evidently the floral branches of the suc- 

 ceeding year. As this plant does not seem referable to any of 

 the described species, it may be known as: — 



Polycodium depressum Small, sp. nov. A shrub with several 

 or many erect branches 1-3 dm. tall, the twigs, especially those 

 of the leafy shoots closely fine-pubescent: leaves rather close to- 

 gether; blades elliptic or nearly so, individually sometimes broad- 

 ly so, 2-5.5 cm. long: racemes spreading or ascending, mostly 

 4-7 cm. long, the rachis and pedicels copiously fine-pubescent: 

 bracts only a fraction as large as the leaves, otherwise similar to 

 them: hypanthium densely pale-pubescent: sepals ovate to 

 triangular, nearly or quite 2 mm. long, obtuse or merely acute, 

 pubescent: corolla white, about twice as long as the calyx; lobes 

 deltoid to ovate-deltoid, slightly shorter than the tube, obtuse: 

 stamens about 7 mm. long; filament pubescent; anther with 

 slender tubular appendages fully twice as long as the sacs, the 

 spur-like appendages about as long as the sacs: ovary glabrous: 

 style subulate, glabrous: berry. 



Pinelands, northern Florida to southern Louisiana. — Spring. 

 Type from near Silverhill, Alabama, Small, Mosier, and Mat- 

 thaus. — , May 3rd, 1926, 



The low habit of this Polycodium separates it from all the other 

 species of the genus. In the floral characters it is related to 

 Polycodium melanocarpum and P. macilentum. The size of the 

 flower is somewhat intermediate between those of these species. 

 It differs from both in the obtuse or merely acute sepals. 



New York Botanical Garden. 



