1019 



On ab a solo a 



A Mexigan Genus of Gomposit.^ 



Frederic IV. WILLIAMS 



From lime to lime, in revising groups of llie larger natural familles, 

 il is désirable to try and solve the generic enigmas scatlered through bota- 

 nical literature, especially when the available malerial renders such solu- 

 tion possible. By this means syslemalic lisls are once for ail rid of redun- 

 dant gênera industriously perpetualed by successive Compilers, and the 

 bürden of useless names is lightened. 



The object of Ihe présent note is to clear up the identity of a genus of 

 doubtful status, which hasbeen admitted without dispute by every writer 

 on the Mexican flora ; none of whom, however, bas supplemented the 

 fragmentary information afforded by the original authority. 

 •J?^ ABASOLOA. — Llave et Lexarza Novorum Yegetabilium Des- 

 criptiones fasc. 1, p. 11 (1824), reimpr. in La Naturaleza [Mejico], v. 

 p. 15 (1880), et sep. p. 17 (1881); Cand. Prodr. Yll, p. 253 (1838): Endt. 

 Gen. Plant, p. 502 (1838) ; Meissn. PI. Yasc. Gen., p. 201 (1839); Reichb. 

 Nomencl., p. 82, n. 3146 (1841) ; Orb. Dict. l, p. 2 (1841) ; Lindl. Yeg. 

 Kingd., p. 715(1840); Pfeijf. Nomencl. Bot. I, p. 1 (1873); Benth. et 

 Hook. f. Gen. Plant. II, p. 362 (1873) ; Hemsley in Biol. Cent. Amer. 

 Bot. II, p. 159 (1881) ; Baill. Hist. PI. YIII, p. 210 (1886); Dur. Ind. Gen. 

 Phanerog., p. 208, n. 3792 (1888) ; Engl et Prantl Natiirl. Pflanzenf. 

 lY, abt. 5. p. 233 (1890), Jacks Ind. Kew. I, p. 1 (1893). 



The peculiar character of Llave and Lexarza's work lies in the fact 

 that the gênera proposed were moslly named after persons of local noto- 

 rietyand political advenlurers, who were not concemed or interested 

 either in botany or in any other science. The descriptive characters of the 

 genus and of the single species by which it is represented were drawn 



