370 CONTRIBUTIONS FEOM TIIE NATIONAL HEKBAKIUM. 



tain soil, though not duly investigated, is doubtless a shale product, bearing as it does 

 at a suitable station the characteristic Oenothera argillicola and Eriogonum allenii. 

 These plants were also in their favorite positions at Millboro, but they were wanting 

 at Augusta Springs, as were several other plants characteristic of the shales farther 

 west. 



The seasonal development of the flowers is evidently early but very protracted. 

 As reported by Mr. Harris, they had already begun to appear in 1910 by May 28, and 

 on a western exposure tall plants were little in bloom July 20. At Millboro in 1907 

 many heads were still bright August 21. 



Solidago harrisii was collected and distinguished jointly by Mr. Harris and Prof. 

 George M. Perdew of Cumberland, Maryland, having, as it proved, been earlier noted 

 by myself. By an understanding satisfactory to all it is described and named as here. 



My 1905 collection was referred doubtfully to Solidago boottii and was sent out, 

 I think, under that name. After collecting the same at Millboro I recognized the 

 distinctness of the species and gave it a manuscript name. 



The species is doubtless akin to S. boottii in its coriaceous leaves and tegules, stiff 

 habit, and recurved branches. It differs greatly from it in its more robust though 

 typically depressed habit, much broader and more lucid leaves, more ample panicle, 

 etc. , It has the habit of a depressed and stiffened juncea, but is not near that species. 

 Its closest alliance is probably with S. arguta, the relation being most obvious in the 

 broadly dilated and sharply serrate leaf blades, the very distinctive nervation of the 

 petiole wings being also imperfectly anticipated in S. arguta. It differs from that 

 species, however, in its lower stature and broader panicle, in its shorter and more 

 dilated leaves with less forward-pointing teeth, and with firmer texture, brighter 

 surface, and much more broadly winged petioles, and in its smaller heads and com- 

 monly thicker tegules. There are various forms of S. arguta presenting a lower and 

 stouter habit, or thicker, coriaceous leaves, or coriaceous tegules, or some combination 

 of these features, but none of these infringe at all upon the specific rights of S. harrisii. 

 Solidago amplexicaulis may also be mentioned on account of its similarly broad 

 and broad-petioled leaves, these dilated-clasping, however, as is not the case in 5. 

 harrisii. The two species are otherwise remote. 



Solidago moritura Steele, sp. nov. 



Probably nearest Solidago missouriensis; spreading by running rootstocks and 

 forming patches; stems assurgent at the base, more or less procumbent, slender, very 

 smooth, even the inflorescence glabrous, finely striate; leaves numerous, all very 

 narrow, oblanceolate-linear or above lanceolate-linear, the largest 10 to 13 cm. Ion" 

 and rarely 7 mm. broad, these situated about halfway up the stem, the lower a little 

 shorter, the upper gradually reduced, 3 or 4 cm. long at the first developed branch, 

 abortive branches in the upper axils; lower leaves insensibly narrowed into a long 

 petiolar base, this upwardly slowly lost; all the leaves very sharply acuminate, 

 entire or the larger with a few short, sharp teeth, glabrous save for the hispiduloue 

 margin, none triple-nerved, yet all showing below a fairly well-defined pair of straight 

 lateral veins, merging above with the general strong reticulation; inflorescence very 

 one-sided, soft and graceful, intensely yellow, based upon a penicillate-appearing 

 cluster of slender, strongly ascending, branches, these bearing linear-filiform bracts, 

 otherwise naked some distance before developing heads, the longest branches com- 

 monly 8 to 12 cm. long, sometimes reaching 20 cm. or reduced to 6 cm.; racemes 

 secund, the lowest branchlets bearing commonly 2, but in strong plants sometimes 

 6 heads, a part occasionally abortive, all on filiform peduncles, the lateral subtended 

 by filiform bractlete, the clusters soon succeeded by single heads on bracteolate 

 peduncles, the lowest branehleU) (including heads) 10 to 15 mm. long, the following 

 successively shorter; heads oblong in section, including disk between 4 and 5 mm. long; 

 tegules linear-oblong, slightly tapering, ovately narrowed, obtuse, golden but with a 



