122 Plants Collected in Paraguay. 



dark-purple tinge. Fruit a red, pear-shaped berry, 5-7 cm, long 

 and 3-5 cm. in diameter. The joints of the stem are oblong-ov^ate, 

 10-20 cm. long. 



Peireskia Bleo, D.C., Prod., iii, 475. 



Asuncion (188). November-January. 



One of the most striking plants in the region, often used as a 

 hedge, for which it is admirably adapted by its thick foliage, its 

 numerous, spreading branches, and its terrible thorns. Shrub-like, 

 often growing into a small tree 6-8 m. high. Stems green, smooth. 

 Leaves coriaceous, thick, nearly sessile, obovate or oblong, 5-10 

 cm. long, 4-5 cm. wide. The spines are in axillary clusters, the 

 main one 4 or 5 cm. in length, very sharp and strong, wounds from 

 which are very painful and apt to cause gangrene. The flowers, in 

 terminal clusters, are white and rose-colored, as large as a Camellia 

 blossom, very showy. Fruit a hard green nutlet, about 2|- cm. in 

 diameter, l-celled, many seeded. Yery difficult to preserve in Herba- 

 rium specimens, as the leaves and stems fall to pieces in drying. 

 The common Spanish name of this species is Amapola, and the 

 Guarani name Surubi-y. 



FICOIDEJE. 



Tetragonia liorrida, Britton, n. sp. 



Decumbent, glabrous, stems angular, branched, 3-9 dm. long. Leasees fleshy, 

 rhomboid-spatulate, obtuse at the apex, narrowed into a broad petiole, papil- 

 lose, 4-6 cm. long, 2-4 cm. wide ; flowers axillary, several together, sessile ; 

 fruit strictly sessile, dry, angular, 3-4 mm. long, crowned by the 4-7, unequal 

 veiny, spiny calyx-lobes. Stamens 50. 



Pilcomayo River (917). February. 



Related to T. expansa, Ait., which occurs in southern Brazil and 

 Uraguay. 



This vicious-looking plant spreads upon the ground in large 

 masses. Corolla small, some 6 mm. in height, whitish, with pur- 

 ple stripes, folded and ending in 5 short hardly apparent lobes. 

 The persistent calyx, enlarging on the ovary, forms a spiny, burr- 

 like fruit, which it is decidedly unpleasant to handle. 



SesuTiuiii parviflorum, D.C., Prod., iii, 453. 



Pilcomayo River (1042). May. 



Growing in dry soil on the open campo. This species differs 

 from the following in having an erect, suffruticose, dichotomously- 



