244 Notes on Liliaccce, [zoe 



whatever until, in drying, it shrivels about the seeds; and this being- 



tne case, tnere seems to be hardly sufficient distinction between 

 them and R, Caroliniana. 



4 



In regard to the " characters and arrangement of the bast- 

 bundles, resin-areas and medullary rays," their value in classifica- 

 tion has yet to be tested, even if they hold good through large 

 series of specimens, as in those of the writer at least, they fail to do. 

 There is, so far as we know, no reason why these characters should 

 not vary with age, exposure, climate and luxuriance in the same 

 manner as the leaves do. It is, in fact, well known that the woody 

 structure does so in many trees belonging to the same species, as 

 for mstance the Douglas. Spruce ( Pseudotsuga Douglasii) in which 

 woodmen distinguish two varieties, not separable by any character 

 of fruit or foliage. 



R. iomeniella furnishes one of the strongest arguments for the 

 specific identity of R. Californica and R. Purshiana. It runs in 

 the northern part of Lake and Colusa counties, into broad-leaved 

 forms which apparently bear the same relation to R. Purshiana 

 that the southern iomeniella does to Californica. It can hardly be 

 supposed that if the species are distinct each can have a variety 

 ioiuentella varying in the same manner as the species. 



Our California College of Pharmacy should settle the question of 

 the comparative value of the barks. Both are readily accessible. 

 ni ^""^'^'T'^ ^"^^"^ ^ respectable size in Marin county, near 

 Olema. R. Purshiana reaches Russian River, and even, accord- 



/ 1°. ?'■ • °'''"'' ^" ^^^ ^'^^"^^>^ «f Freeport. The berries 



should be tested also; they are reported to share the properties of 

 U.jse of ^. .a//J..W. the juice of which is sometimes useS medici- 



NOTES ON LILIACEvE. 



BY CARL PURDV. 



Duri^ng the season of 1890. I first saw Brodicea fiedzmczdaris I 

 found _,t in eastern Lake County, growing in a rich soil fnd .nd 

 rnold m stream beds. In October the leaves were stUl green and 

 the fibrous roots fresh. I had expected to find it very close in\en 



^: ;:^rT^t::f:.^-^^ ^-^ - aistmcf eno^.^i: 



pednnctih 



