Plants Collected in Paraguay. Tl 



quite so attractive as the looks. The fruit is an obovate nut, 4-5 

 cm. in length, and 2^ cm. in diameter, with a thin, greenish-white 

 scurfy rind, looking somewhat like our butternut. It is one of the 

 few deciduous trees in Paraguay, the fruit hanging on long after 

 the leaves have fallen, which they do in April or May. The fruit 

 partakes of the malodor of the leaves and flowers. 



ILICINEJE. 

 Ilex Paraguayensis, St. Hil., Mem. Mus., ix, 351. 



Asuncion (636). Not in flower or fruit. 



The famous Paraguay Tea or Jesuits' Tea, or Yerba Mate, as 

 it is variously called. It does not grow wild in eastern Paraguay, 

 but is found only in the yerbales along the Parana River in the 

 western districts. It is occasionally cultivated in gardens at 

 Asuncion. 



CELASTRINEiE. 

 Maytenus ilicifolia, Mart., Fl. Bras, xi, pt. 1, 8. 



Lympio (135). May. 



A shrub about 2 m. high. Only in bud when collected. Flow^ers 

 apparently white. Leaves ovate or oblong, coriaceous, glossy, with 

 a callous edge and many spiny teeth on the margins, nearly sessile, 

 4-10 cm. long, and 5 or 6 cm. wide. 



Maytenus Vitis-Idaea, Gris., Symb. Fl. Arg. 83. 



Pilcomayo River (1049). May. 



A shrub 3-5 m. high, common in the thickets on the banks of the 

 Pilcomayo. It has very thick, flabby leaves, almost circular in 

 shape, so heavy that the shrub is bent nearly to the ground under 

 their weight. Flowers small, yellowish-green, in small clusters 

 along the branches. Fruit an oval, red berry, very scarce. 



RHAMNE^. 

 Sageretia elegaiis (H. B. K.), Brong. 



Pilcomayo River (90t). February, = Balansa 2420. 



A shrub 3-5 m. high, with smooth light-colored bark. Leaves 

 on short petioles, opposite, ovate, coriaceous, serrulate, glabrous, 

 shining, acute, 4-8 cm. long, and 1|— 4 cm. broad, the nerves beneath 

 prominent. Found only in fruit. Berry on a short pedicel, nearly 



