NOTES ON XYRIS. 
By A. B. Renpie, M.A., D.Se. 
(Prare 408.) 
In the course of canes of sf material of the genus Xyris in 
the National Herbarium, I have made a few notes which it may be 
of interest to recor, more spies ails i the possession of the type 
Specimens of some of the earliest desribed ee es gives unique 
advantages to a wockue at the British Museu 
I. On rue Orternat Srecies or Linyzvus. 
It is well known that Linneus confused New and Old World 
plants in the original species (Sp. Pl. 42), and the confusion rem ains 
to this day with regard to the American portion. Linneus’ species 
geen = the following :— 
is foliis gladiatis Gron. Virg. 11. This is no. 219 of 
Clayton’ s Wingain plants, and is in the National Herbarium. It 
is the true X. torta J. E. peut Linnezus also cites for the same 
ng from H s herbar. 
another of our treasured possessions ; it is ihceahice aks AIpORUbe 
to decide what species is meant, presumably the plant commonly 
pre as X. indica L. 
2. Gladiolo lacustri accedens malabarica, e capitulo botryoideo 
florifera Pluk. Alm. 170, t. 416, f. 4. Probably the same as the 
following. 
3. Katsjiletti-pullu Rheed. Mal. 9, p. 189, t. oe Rheede’s figure 
is a good representation of the X. indica of autho 
The locality given is ‘in Indiis.” The pant in Linneus’ 
herbarium is identical with Clayton’s Vs ee ant, and, as 
stated by Nilsson in his Revision of the Order (Gradies iiber die 
Xyrideen, in K, Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl. xxiv. no. 14, 39), is the 
type of X. torta Smith. The sheet bears the name indica in 
Linneus’ hand, and also the A which indicates that it was an 
American plant received from Kalm. Sir J. HE. Smith has added 
‘indica of Pursh? torta J. H.8.” 
This confusion was early recognized, ee (Fl. Am. Sept. 
83 [1814]), while quoting X. indica L. n American plant, 
queries the reference to Plukenet’s dlmag preity a. 1818, however, 
Smith gave a good account of the whole genus in Rees" Cyclop. 
XXxix.; he eines twenty-eight species, and, among other things, 
shows clearly the confusion existing with r evard to X. indica L.; 
he settles the matter by retaining xX. indica for the East Tndian 
Species, and describing as a distinct species, X. torta, Kalm’s 
American spe cimens, which, he says, ‘‘ appear to answer exactly to 
the indica of Pursh.”’ 
eee — ena American botanists cage rapiags several new 
which specially conce are X. caroliniana 
hos 
Walter, Fl. Carol. 69 (1788) ; X. Jupicat ;AGobaie, Fl. Bor. Amer. 
_ Journat or Borany.—Vot. 37. (Duc. 1899.) 2k 
