CARYOPHYLLACE.E. 125 



4. Drtmaria fasciculata, Sp. Nov. 



D. glaberrima; caule erecto ; foliis sessilibus ovato-oblongis subtrinerviis ; 

 peduncido stricto apice minute glandidoso; jioribus subsessilibus sca- 

 rioso-bracteatis in fasciculum arete congestis; sepalis glaberrimis ob- 

 longo-lanceolatis trinerviis cuspidato-acuminatis margine scariosis petala 

 subcequantibus. 



Hab. Andes of Peru, near Obrajillo. 



Root annual. Stem a span high, simple or sparingly branched, 

 slender, erect, glabrous, as is the whole plant. Leaves only 3 or 4 

 pairs, much shorter than the internodes, one-nerved and with a pair 

 of inconspicuous lateral nerves, sessile, 5 to 9 lines long ; the lower 

 obovate or spatulate ; the upper and those of the branches oblong-ovate, 

 and acute or acuminate. Stipules very minute, setaceous. Peduncle 

 erect and strict, from half an inch to 2 inches long, naked, towards the 

 summit minutely viscous-glandidar. Flowers crowded in a dense fascicle, 

 subtended by oblong-ovate, one-nerved, and cuspidate-pointed, scarious 

 bracts, which are little shorter than the calyx : the primary or central 

 flower on a pedicel of barely a line in length, and much shorter than 

 the calyx; the others nearly or quite sessile. Calyx 3 lines long; the 

 sepals perfectly glabrous, lanceolate-oblong, acutely pointed, thin, with 

 rather broad scarious margins, conspicuously three-nerved near the 

 middle. Petals 5, slightly exceeding the calyx, white, oblong-linear, 

 two-lobed above the middle, the lobes linear-oblong; the dilated claw 

 entire. Stamens 5, rather shorter than the petals. Style slender, 

 three-cleft above the middle; the recurved branches stigmatose. 

 Capsule shorter than the calyx, membranaceous, three-valved, about 

 twelve-seeded. Seeds circinnate, as in the genus, scabrous with very 

 minute points arranged in lines. 



The compact fascicles of flowers, imbricated with large scarious 

 bracts, abundantly distinguish this from any described species of Dry- 

 maria, nor is there any one with which I can particularly compare it, 

 excepting the following ; which makes some approach to it in the in- 

 florescence. 



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