GLEASON: TAXONOMIC STUDIES IN VERNONIA po f 
Achenes hirsute; leaves with resinous dots or glandular pits 
on the lower surface. 
Pubescence of short, straight, appressed hairs seldom 
exceeding 0.5 mm. in length. V. borinquensis. 
Pubescence on the lower leaf-surface of bent or curved 
hairs 2-4 mm. long. V. borinquensis hirsuta. 
Achenes glabrous. 
Glands on the lower leaf-surface present. V. borinquensis resinosa. 
Glands on the lower leaf-surface none. V. borinquensis Siahlit 
VERNONIA SERICEA L. C. Rich. 
Vernonia phyllostachya (Cass.) Gleason. 
We are indebted to Ekman for the application of the correct 
name to this well-known species. Specimens in American her- 
baria show a great variation in the size, proportion, and density 
of pubescence of the leaves, without offering legitimate opportunity 
for the separation of varieties. 
VERNONIA GNAPHALIIFOLIA Rich. 
Until the last decade this species was poorly represented in 
American herbaria. The collections of the New York Botanical 
Garden now include an ample series of specimens, sufficient to 
give some idea of the range of variation within the species. On 
casual inspection, the specimens fall into two groups, characterized 
by wide and narrow leaves. The latter come from the provinces 
of Santa Clara, Camaguey, and Oriente, that is, from eastern 
Cuba; while the former are from Santa Clara, Havana, and Matan- 
zas. The wide-leaved forms have leaves from 9 X 19 mm. to 
21 X 51 mm., and the ratio of length to width varies from 2.1 
to 3.4. The leaves of the narrow-leaved specimens range in size 
from 4 X 23 mm. to 14 X 61 mm., and their ratio from 3.2 to 
5-7. They make accordingly a continuous series. In all cases the 
leaves are somewhat revolute and densely sericeous beneath. 
All specimens agree in the characters of inflorescence and flower- 
structure except one, Shafer 2958, from Holguin, Oriente, which 
the resinous dots on the principal involucral scales. 
: Another specimen differs so much from the specific type that 
it may be described as a new variety. 
