416 MR. F. N. WILLIAMS: REVISION 
The grouping of the various forms of this polymorphous and 
very variable species is based upon E. von Regel’s detailed 
examination of many specimens. ‘This botanist, however, 
includes A. lychnidea, Bieb., in the species, which certainly does 
not belong to this subgenus, as the disk is not broken up into 
distinct glands: whereas, in A. capillaris, five short truncate 
glands are readily distinguishable at the base of the stamens. 
In the subdivision of the species as followed out here there are 
seven varieties which are associated into three ‘ greges’ (or sub- 
species, as some would prefer perhaps to call them). Forms of 
lower grade in the discrimination of minor characters are 
united under some of the varieties. It is extremely difficult in 
a widely distributed and remarkably variable species such as 
this is to assess at their right value the grades of deviation from 
the type, even in a series of specimens from a limited area. 
Everyone who examines a series of such specimens is likely to 
form diverse views as to the value and importance of these 
deviations from the type, and would group these puzzling and 
inconstant forms differently, and probably as unsatisfactorily. 
As Ledebour points out, typical A. capillaris, which is widely 
distributed in Siberia, is a glabrous plant with short barren 
shoots and rigid glaucous leaves, with the flowers usually m 
trifloral cymes. This form is comparatively rare in N. America, 
where var. e. formosa, Fisch., is the more common form, in which 
the leaves are curved or faleate, and the stem and inflorescence 
invested with a glandular pubescence; though var. C. nardifolia, 
Ledeb., is occasionally met with. The original specimens 
described by Poiret in Jussieu's herbarium were gathered by 
Patin in Siberia. Poiret, after comparing the leaves with 
those of Festuca ovina, says of the flowers: “ Jeg fleurs forment 
presqu'une ombelle à l'extrémité des tiges, au nombre de deux, 
plus souvent trois, supportées par de longs pédoncules simp 
presqu' égaux, uniflores, quelquefois dichotomes.” (P 
tis , 
describes a form with “ foliis obtusis, apice subtrunca 
Sibir. bor. p. 34 [1877]), which I scarcely know how 
among the others. It is, however, based on one small s 
with leaves similar to those of Alsine arctica, found " 
1875 between the rivers Olenek and Lena in Siberia. 
visionally it is placed in grex a. iti 
Geogr. range From the Ural Mountains eastward to British 
to place 
pecimen, 
August 
Pro- 
