Plants Collected in Paraguay. 243 



one-third as long as the scapes, 5-7 mm. wide, bluntly acute, many 

 and irregularly nerved. Wet grounds. 



Seubert in Fl. Bras., iii, pt. 1, p. 220, regards this as only a 

 variety (v. procera) of no. 582. 



Xyris laxifolia. Mart., Flora, 1. c. 



Villa Rica (582). January. = Balansa 563. 



Similar to no, 329, but with more numerous and larger leaves, 

 at least in the specimens collected. Scapes 6-8 dm. high. Heads 

 conical, lJ-2 cm. long. Leaves 5-15 mm. broad. Superficies of 

 scapes and leaves often marked with purple-fuscous lineolse. Grow- 

 ing in bogs. The probability is that both this and no. 329 are forms 

 of X. communis, Kunth. 



MAYACACE^. 

 3fayaca Sellowiana, Kunth., Enum., iv, 32. 



Villa Rica (498). January. = Balansa 2364. 



With erect stem, 3-6 cm. high. Peduncles capillary, 1-3 cm. 

 long. Flowers solitary, rose-colored. Leaves 3 or 4 mm. long, 

 almost setaceous. Capsules 6-seeded. In bogs. 



COMMELmACEJE. 



Commelina platypliylla, Seub., var. Balansai, Clarke in D.C, 

 Monog. Phan., iii, 177. 



Asuncion (239). December-January. = Balansa 593. 



A branching herbaceous plant, 8-20 cm. high, with pure white 

 flowers. Stems angular, somewhat compressed above, more or less 

 pubescent. Leaves numerous, somewhat crowded, oblong, usually 

 obtuse, amplexicaul, the lowest often eared at the base, 4-10 cm. 

 long and 1-2 cm. broad. Spathes 1-2 cm. long, cofiaplicate, obtuse, 

 sometimes 3 cm. or more broad. Varies from the type in having 

 obtuse leaves and oblong seeds. Common in shady places along 

 the railway track. 



Commelina Tirginica^ L., Sp. PL, Ed. 2, 61. 



Asuncion (54). November-January. 



