64 



GENTlANEiE. [Gentiana, 



Hab. cc. and /3. Canada to the Rocky Mountains and Slave Lake. Mickaux, Dr. Richardson^ Douglas, 

 Drummond. — The common appearance is much more slender than in the drawingof Mr. Bunge, the leaves 

 are narrower and the branches shorter; but the same form as that from Unalaschka occurs also in the 

 Rocky Mountains. 



This species is extremely like our G. Amarella; it seems, however, to differ constantly in the way the 

 leaves embrace the stem. In G. Amarella the lamina of the two leaves ends at that point where they are 

 affixed to the stem, so that they are separated from each other by an interstice formed by the stem; while 

 in G. acuta the bases of both leaves touch each other without any interstice, so that the substance of the 

 leaves itself is somewhat connate: this character seems to be invariable throughout all those numerous 

 forms in which these species are so rich; the upper leaves of G. acuta are, besides, always longer and 

 more acute, and the leaves near the root are more or less spathulate, while in G, Amarella the leaves are 

 always more equal in the same individual; the beard of G. acuta is longer and thinner, so as to disappear 

 almost wholly here and there; the flowers are somewhat smaller; the calyx is shorter and more unequal; 

 the stem more angular, and commonly almost winged. Besides, most of its forms are much stiffer, 

 taller, and more branched ; the stem often produces such slender and numerous branchlets from the under- 

 axillce as has been mentioned above o^ G.propingua. — G. actt^a, Nutt., which has been doubtfully re- 

 ferred to G* campestris, certainly is the species of Michaux, which seems the only one o£ EndotrichcB 

 widely dispersed through the northern parts of the new continent, and the varieties of which are as mani- 

 fold as those of G, Amarella, 



Sectio VI. Crossopetalum, Froei, — CorollcB^ plica intermedia destitutcB, glandulis inter 

 basin Jilamentorum auctm^ lohi cum ttiho continui L expansi margine fimbriati^ Stigmata 

 lata orhicidata distincta, Capsula stipitata L basi attenuata. Testa exalata aculeis mol- 

 libus tccta (I, rarius Icevis,) — Herhce annu(B et perennes. 



■t; 



subseq 



niargine versus apicem serratis medio ciliato-pectinatis basi integerrirais, seminibus acule- 

 atis. — Fries^ in Act Hafn. Let. 1. / 3. — G. brachypetala. Bg, L c. p. 225. t 11./. 3. 

 [specimen defloratitnu) — G. ciliata. Gunn. Norv. 2. p, 88. t 2./, 3-5. — G. serrata. Gtnm. 

 2. p. 101. {forma cor. 5-Jida.) FL Dan. 317.— /3. barhata, radice bienni, caule erecto ra- 

 niosoj foliis caulinis longissime acuminatis, corolla duplo majori, stigmatibus ovario obovato 

 impositis (in planta sibirica; in americana plerumque ovarium ellipticum et stylus con- 

 spicuus.)— G. barbata. Froel p, 114. Sims, Bat. Mag. t. 639.— G. ciliata. Pall. Ross. 2. 

 t 92./ 2. — 7. simplex, radice bienni, caule simplici unifloro gracillimo superne nudo, co- 

 rolla ut in /3., foliis imis lineari-spathulatis, superioribus linearibus. G. barbata, simplex. 

 Bg. I. c. p. 224. t. 9./. 1.— G. intermedia. Richards, ms. 



Hab. Huron Lake. Dr, Todd, Slave Lake, passing into /3. Dr, Richardson. Edmonton House to 

 Cariton House on the Saskatchawan. Mr. Drummotid. Arctic sea-shore. Dr. Richardson,^^. Canada, 

 Mrs.Percival, Mr.Sheppard, Huron Lake. Dr. Todd, Banks of the Maitland River. Mr.Js.Macnah, 

 Cumberland House to Bear Lake. Dr. Richardson, Saskatchawan and Rocky Mountains,— with forms 

 passing into «. and /3. Mr. Drummond,^The name given by Fries is the oldest one for this polymorphous 

 species: the variety, which has been nicely drawn by Mr. Bunge, proving that there are no certain limits 

 between G,barbata, Froel. of the Altai, and G,d€tonsa, Fries, of the Arctic Zone and Lapland. This was 

 the more cleariy shown by the large collection of American specimens which I have been able to examine: 



