Am.  Jour  Pharm. 
July,  1898. 
A  Species  of  Commelina. 
333 
scopical  laboratories  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy  has 
lanceolate  leaves  from  2  to  3  inches  long,  roots  that  are  not  tuber- 
ous {Fig.  2),  and  deeply  reticulate  seeds.  The  specimen  appears 
much  to  resemble  C.  communis.  According  to  Thomas  Morong 
{Bulletin  of  Torr ey  Botanical  Club,  December  1893),  communis 
may  be  distinguished  from  C.  nudiflora  by  its  open  spathe,  gener- 
ally much  broader  leaves  and  more  robust  habit."  He  also  says 
that  the  seeds  are  rugose  and  deeply  pitted,  instead  of  being  reticu- 
0°°o00  0  Oo  o  Co 
o  o°0°    °Q  ^ 
o0q  O 
0  0 
Fig.  9. 
lated  as  in  C.  nudiflora.  The  specimen  under  examination  appears 
to  resemble  C.  communis  rather  closely. 
The  stem  is  procumbent  or  creeping  in  habit,  and  roots  are  being 
constantly  produced  at  the  nodes  {Fig.  2).  The  leaves  are  broadly 
lanceolate,  acute  at  the  apex,  contracted  at  the  base  into  sheathing 
petioles.  The  floral  leaves  are  large,  heart-shaped,  clasping  bracts, 
enclosing  a  2-4  flowered  cymose  inflorescence  {Fig.  i\.  More  time 
was  devoted  to  a  study  of  the  inner  morphology  (anatomy)  of  the 
