240 Plants Collected in Paraguay. 



Foiircroya Cubensis, (Jacq.), Haw., Syn. PL Succ, 73. 



Asuncion (805). 



This Cuban plant is not unfrequent on the borders of gardens and 

 in hedges at Asuncion, where its tall flower stalks in full blossom 

 make a great display. It bears a large rosette of rigid green gla- 

 brous leaves, 30 or more in number and 2 m. or more in length, 

 margined by large deltoid, hooked spines. The flower stalk is 

 from 3 to 5 m. high, covered with large, fragrant, bell-like blossoms, 

 the corolla white externally and greenish inside. It seems to be 

 propagated exclusively by bulblets, which are large and numerous, 

 often beginning to sprout while still on the stalk. The fibre, like 

 that of the Caraguata, is employed in the manufacture of textile 

 fabrics. 



In flower March- April. Bulblets collected in October. 



No. 998, from the Pilcomayo Kiver, April 11, 1890, collected only 

 in fruit, is probably of this order, but is not identified. 



DIOSCORE^. 



Dioscorea pedicellata, Morong, n. sp. 



Twining over shrubs for 3-6 m. The whole plant very glabrous. Stems 

 slender, rarely branching, strongly angular. Leaves alternate, entire, cor- 

 date-ovate, the sinus broad and the lobes rounded, abruptly acute and aristate 

 at the apex, 7-9-nerved, the 2 lowest nerves bifid or sometimes trifid, 10-12 

 cm. long and nearly as broad at the base ; petioles 4-6 cm. long. Staminate 

 racemes axillary, 1-2 in an axil, usually simple but sometimes once divided, 

 7-10 cm. long, the rachis nearly capillary and strongly angular like the stem. 

 Staminate flowers alternate, solitary, on pedicels 2-5 mm. long, the pedicels 

 subtended by 1, sometimes 2, or even 3 minute, lanceolate membranaceous 

 bracts. Perianth about 3 mm. high, the tube not half as long as the lobes, 

 the lobes oblong, obtuse, greenish-purpl«? in color, spreading open rotately in 

 anthesis. Stamens 6, of minute, sessile anthers, central in the bottom of the 

 perianth. Pistillate flowers and fruit not seen. 



Deep woods on the banks of the Pilcomayo (975). March. 



LILIACEJE. 

 Siuilax Assuinptionis, A. D.C., Monog. Phan., i, 132. 



Lympio (133); Pilcomayo River (1557). January-May. 

 A tendril-climber running over trees and shrubs ; spines few, 

 stout and straight. Leaves coriaceous, elliptical-ovate, subcordate, 



