140 i DR. R. R. GATES: A STUDY OF NORTH AMERICAN 
century since its original discovery, N. americanum is now (with one 
exception) known only from fifteen localities, included in an area about 
20 by 30 miles. It was always supposed to be restricted to the heart of the 
New Jersey Pine Barrens, but specimens in Herb. Phila. Acad. Sci. were 
collected by Mr. A. Common near Lewes, Delaware, on Aug. 1, 1895. 
The plant is more restricted now than formerly, because it is killed by 
cranberry culture. 
3. NARTHECIUM CALIFORNICUM, Baker, in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot. xv. (1876) 
351. 
N. ossifragum, var. occidentale, A. Gray, in Boland. Pl. Calif. (1870) 31. 
Abama californica, Heller, Cat. N. Amer. Pl. (1898). 
A. occidentalis, Heller, in Muhlenbergia, i. (1904) 47. 
California, Mendocino Co., and northwards into Oregon, and in the 
Sierras to the Yosemite National Park. The type came from Del Norte Co., 
California. 
4. NARTHECIUM AsIATICUM, Maxim. in Bull. Acad. Pétersb. xi. (1867) 438. 
Japan. 
This genus is particularly interesting on account of its discontinuous 
distribution, no one of the four species coming in contact with any of the 
others. And yet, though widely separated geographically, the species are 
closely similar. W. asiaticum appears to represent the oldest species, and is 
found in Japan. N. ossifragum occurs throughout Europe and in Asia 
Minor. N. americanum is confined to a narrow area about New Jersey, 
where it is rare; and N. californicum appears chiefly in Northern California. 
These two species are both fairly close to JN. ossifragum, of which they 
have been regarded as varieties, but they appear to be worthy of specific 
recognition. 
The differences between the species are as follows :—In N. ossifragum 
the leaves are about 7:5-15 em. long and 3-6 mm. wide, 4-6-nerved; the 
stamens one-third shorter than the perianth-segments, which are narrowly 
linear, 6-7 mm. long, considerably exceeding the stamens; capsule 10 mm. 
long, and persistent style one-half longer than the perianth ; raceme of few 
flowers, 2:2-5 cm. long ; plant usually 15-25 em. high. In N. americanum 
the leaves are narrower (2-3 mm. wide), the stamens scarcely shorter 
than the perianth, the capsule and style twice as long as the perianth. 
A sheet of N. ossifragum in Herb. Univ. Calif. contains four specimens 
from Alingsås, Sweden ,L. Linguist, July 1878, all of which are larger 
and stouter. The leaves are 4-10 mm. wide, 5-7-nerved, plants 25-30 cm. 
high, perianth-segments 6-8 mm. long. 
The following differences are pointed out in the * Botanical Magazine’ :— 
