Tas. 6178. 
MERTENSIA aprons. 
Native of the Rocky Mountains. 
Nat, Ord. Boracinem@.—Tribe LITHOSPERMEZ. 
Genus Merrensta, Roth. ; (DC. Prodr., vol. x. p. 87). 
Martensta alpina; gracilis, erecta, sericeo-pilosa v. glabra, caule simplici, 
foliis auguste spathulato- v. lanceolato-oblongis obtusis subacutisve 
superne scaberulis v. levibus magnibus ciliatis, nervis obscuris, 
ealyce alte 5-fido corolle tubo breviore, lobis oblongis lanceolatisve 
acutis obtusisve, corolla limbo breviter 5-fido, filamentis brevibus 
antheris equilatis. 
M. alpina, Don, Gen. Syst. Gard., vol. iv. p. 872; DC. Prodr., vol. x. p. 91; 
A. Gray in Amer. Jour. Arts § Sc., vol. XXXIV. (1862) p. 340, e in 
S. Watson, Bot. 40th Parallel, p. 461. 
M. Drummondii, Don ex A. Gray, lc. . 
Lirgosreruum Drummondii, Lehm. Pugill., 2, p. 26, e in Hook. Fl. Bor. 
Amer., vol. ii. p. 86. 
Putmonarta alpina, Torr. in Ann. Lyc. New York, vol. ii. p. 224. 
A lovely little rock-plant, a native of the higher parts 
of the Rocky Mountains, and like many such, inhabiting an 
immense stretch of latitude, namely from 39° N., to the 
Arctic Sea coast. It is an extremely variable plant, as Dr. 
Gray remarks; who concludes that the Arctic coast speci- 
mens, which I have referred to MM. virginica, are indeed 
specifically referable to the Rocky Mountain one from Colorado. 
The latter, though resembling M. virginica in habit, is ae 
tainly, as Gray rightly points out, well distinguished by the 
stout broad filaments, which are those of the species here 
figured. Other variations occur in the hairyness of its parts, 
including the tube of the corolla within ; which is, according 
to Gray, glabrous or pilose. In the Arctic coast specimens 
and Dr. Parry’s from the Colorado district, the stamens are 
inserted on the throat of the corolla, as they are in the plant 
here figured; but in Dr. James’, which resemble the Arctic 
coast ones in habit, they are inserted far down the yee keg 
they are in all the specimens from the west side of the y 
AuGUsST Ist, 1875. 
