Plants Collected in Paraguay. 205 



varying to 6, T, or 10, the segments ovate, 4 or 5 mm. long, spread- 

 ing wide open in anthesis. Perfect flowers with well developed 

 stamens, as many in number as the perianth segments and alter- 

 nate with them. Style protruding through a fringe of hairs upon 

 the summit of the ovary, and divided at the apex into 2 or 3 stig- 

 matic portions. Ovary inferior, with 2 long'l-ovuled cells. 1 am 

 more particular to describe the structure of these flowers because 

 there is a good deal of confusion in the characters of Pisonia as 

 given in the books, at least judging from my specimens. This tree 

 is known among the natives as Palo bianco because both the wood 

 and flowers are white. 



ILLECEBRACE^. 



Pentacaena ramosissima (D.C.), H. and A. in Hook. Bot. Misc., iii, 

 338. 



Between Paraguay and Luque (858). December. 



Creeping, many-branched from the base, with numerous small 

 crowded, subulate, spiny-pointed leaves, 2^ dm. high. Perianth 

 segments in fruit 5 sharp spines. The plant reminds me in general 

 appearance of our Scleranthua annuus. Grrowing in hard soil on 

 the railway track. 



AMARANTACE^. 

 Iresine celosioides, L., Sp. PL, Ed. 2, 1456. 

 Asuncion (144). November-January. 



Kokera paniculata (L.), Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI., 542. 



Asuncion (146). June. 



A slender-stemmed, branching herb, 8-12 dm. high, with naked 

 racemes of flowers in small opposite or alternate clusters along the 

 rachis. Flower axis rising from leaf axils, sometimes nearly 30 cm. 

 long. Roadsides. 



Amarantus chlorostachySjWilld., Hist. Amarant., xxxii, 1. 10, f. 19. 



Caballero (442); Pilcomayo River (980 and 1062). January- 

 June. 



This was found growing on the campos of the Pilcomayo River, 

 frequently attaining a height of more than 3 m., with great panicles 

 of spikes, some of them 5 dm. in length. 



