407 
Geophilous Species of Peperomia . 
stigmatic knob is small, and is made up mainly of a large group of cells 
with lignified reticulate thickening. The corms agree in general structure 
with those of P. parvifolia , and the leaves are small, stout, and fleshy as in 
that species ; but in section the band of water-storing tissue is deeper, — 
owing to the greater size of its cells,™ and the chlorophyll tissue, with its 
double palisade-layer, is more restricted than in that species. 
A third species, closely allied to the two preceding, was collected near 
the snow line in a valley (Pacechac) near Urubamba. Ripe fruits were 
not obtained with this specimen, but in some cases the spikes appear to 
have produced vegetative buds in place of flowers. The leaves, whilst 
agreeing externally with those of P. parvifolia , are found to differ somewhat 
when seen in section, for below the narrow two-celled upper layer of water- 
storing tissue there is a well-marked triple palisade-layer, and the band of 
spongy mesophyll on the lower surface is devoid of chlorophyll. Should 
seedlings ever be found of these two latter species, there is no doubt that 
they would be pseudo-monocotyledonous in their method of germination. 
Other species from this region are P. umbilicata , R. and P. 1 , about which 
there is so much confusion. From the figure of the plant 2 it appears to be 
similar in habit to P. peruviana , Dahlst., and it is possible that these two 
species are identical. 
P. macrorhiza, Kunth 3 , and P. scutellae folia, R. and P. 4 , are unrepresented 
in our British herbaria, but from the figure of the latter species it appears 
to be closely allied to P. umbilicata, and the roots spring from the sides 
of the relatively large tuber. 
Mexican and Central American Species. 
The Mexican and Central American bulbous species appear to form 
a group distinct from the Peruvian forms, as I have already stated 6 , 
although there is still considerable confusion about this matter. 
P. UMBILICATA, H. B. and K. 
One of the commonest forms in our herbaria is the species which has 
been confused with P. umbilicata , R. and P. 6 , but which, as I have shown, 
is the P. umbilicata of Kunth 7 . The examples of this species have all 
been collected in the mountains of Mexico, in the regions to the north and 
1 Mandon’s No. 1122, referred to P. umbilicata , R. and P. (C. DC., Prod., XVI, i, p. 393 ; 
vide Dahlst., 1. c., p. 31), is without doubt P. peruviana , as is also Pentland’s specimen collected at 
12,880 ft. in Herb. Kew, and described as P. parvifolia in Seaman* s Journ. Bot., iii, 1866, p. 133. 
Cf. note on Gaudichaud’s No. 150. 
2 Ruiz and Pavon, 1. c., Tab. 45, Fig. b. 
3 H. B. and K., Nov. Gen. et Sp., i, p. 72. 
* R. and P., FI. Peruv., i, p. 29, Taf. 44 b. 
5 Vide p. 396. 6 Cf. Dahlst., 1. c., p. 31. 
7 H. B. and K., 1. c., p. 59, Taf. xv, Fig. 1. 
