1922] TRELEASE—PEPEROMIA 135 
encountered northern surrogate of the true P. umbilicata, and added 
a new Guatemalan species, P. bracteata. 
The purpose of the present paper is to outline succinctly the 
result of a preliminary study of the peltate-leaved species of 
Peperomia of North America, inclusive of the West Indies, based 
chiefly on the extensive collections of the United States National 
Herbarium and the New York Botanical Garden. For the privilege 
of examining these, I am greatly indebted to Mr. Maxon and 
Dr. Britton. No effort is made here to give full descriptions or 
citations; but the admitted species are keyed apart sufficiently 
for their present characterization, and reference is made to all 
publications affecting their nomenclature. 
Although they agree in possessing more or less strikingly 
peltate foliage, the plants here accounted for constitute four 
natural groups of species, of which the first three are interrelated, 
while the fourth has little in common with the others except that 
it falls within the generic limits of Peperomia as these are now 
drawn. Each of the first two groups is subdivisible into minor 
groups on floral as well as vegetative characters. These distinc- 
tions are sufficiently evident from the synopsis without separate 
discussion. Except for the very distinct fourth group, Hernandi- 
foliae, all are continental. 
SYNOPSIS OF GROUPS 
Acaulescent; pistil not in a pit; stigma apical 
From a round or lens-shaped corm; glabrous............. CAMPYLOTROPAE 
Subrhizomatous; glabrous; diminutive..............-.+++-+- MEXICANAE 
Subrhizomatous; glabrous; rather large............-..+-++- MACRAND 
Substoloniferous; pubescent; diminutive............... TUERCKHEIMIEAE 
Shortly caulescent; pistil not in a pit; stigma subapical 
Small and delicate; somewhat pubescent............-.++++0+0++ FUGACES 
Moderately large... oh ee ARIFOLIAE 
Repent; moderately large; pistil not in a pit; stigma apical. .CORDULATIFORMES 
Repent; rather large; pistil in a pit, beaked; stigma at base of 
WM ie a HERNANDIFOLIAE 
CAMPYLOTROPAE 
Rather small, acaulescent from a smooth corm, glabrous; leaves 
peltate near the middle or well above the base; spikes usually very 
