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MELANTHACEJE FROM THE GENETIC STANDPOINT. 169 
2. Hastinesta BRAOTEOSA, S. Wats. in Proc. Amer. Acad. xx. (1885) 377. 
S. Oregon, in marshes near Waldo. 
Specimen: Kerbyville, Ore., /7owell, 1884. 
H. bracteosa is said to differ from H. alba in its longer leaves, more 
` conspicuous bracts, flowers twice larger, and shorter stamens. "The last two 
characters are the only constant ones in the specimens I have seen. The two 
species are contrasted by Howell * as follows :— 
H. alba. 
Leaves 4-12 mm. wide, attenuate above. 
Raceme densely many-flowered. 
Bracts narrow acuminate. 
Pedicels 2-4 mm, long, shorter than the 
bracts. 
Perianth -segments about 6 mm. long, 
oblong, obtuse, white or tinged with 
green or pink. 
Stamens about equalling the perianth. 
H. bracteosa. 
Leaves 2-8 mm. wide, acuminate above. 
Raceme loosely many-flowered. 
Bracts filiform-subulate from a broad base. 
Pedicels ascending, about 4 mm. long. 
Perianth-segments 8-10 mm. leng, lanceo- 
late, acuminate, dull white. 
Stamens half as long as perianth-segments. 
This pair of species also requires a careful comparative examination. 
H. bracteosa is apparently very limited in range and may perhaps be a 
mutation of recent origin. 
The generic characters are very well marked. The nearest relatives 
of Hastingsia are Schenolirion and Chlorogalum. The differences from the 
former genus may be tabulated as follows :— 
Schanolirton. 
Seapose herbs with bulb-like rootstocks. 
Leaves basal, often numerous. 
Leaves very narrow, flat, rather rigid. 
Flowers in loose, simple or sparingly 
branched racemes, white or yellow. 
Perianth-segments ^ withering- persistent, 
not scarious, 3-5-nerved, exceeding the 
stamens. 
Anthers versatile, introrsely dehiscing. 
Style short. 
Pedicels slender, exceeding the flowers and 
bracts. 
Capsule depressed globose, deeply lobed. 
Hastingsia, 
Perennial herbs with scape-like sparingly 
branched stems from coated bulbs. 
Leaves basal, rather numerous. 
Leaves narrow, flat, more fleshy. 
Flowers in densely many-flowered sparingly 
branched racemes, white or greenish, 
Perianth-segments lax and scarious, per- 
sistent, closely  3-nerved (appearing 
l-nerved), equalling the stamens. 
Anthers versatile. 
Style short. 
Pedicels stout, much shorter than the 
flowers and bracts. 
Capsule oblong-ovate, not deeply lobed, 
very shortly stipitate. 
* Howell, T., in Fl. N.W. Amer. (1902) 647, 
