Bod). cS Rob 
1913] Brainerd,— Viola arenaria 109 
‘Downy,’ though here used three times, is infrequent as a botanical 
term; but it is good Saxon English for a soft pubescence more pro- 
nounced than puberulence; conversely, Webster defines ‘puberulent’ 
as “very minutely downy.” In the canina group there is but one 
species “from the west coast of North America,” that is either downy 
or puberulent; and if so, we can hardly do otherwise than regard it 
as the V. adunca of Smith, and the V. canina var. puberula of the 
Synoptical Flora. 
At the same time it should be said that forms of V. adunca occur on 
both sides of the continent that are “glabrous or nearly so." This 
fact, however, does not embarrass the situation; for there is not a 
single pubescent species of Viola in the western United States that 
does not furnish forms nearly or quite glabrous. We may question 
the need of giving a special name to every glabrous form of a pubescent 
violet, or to every white-flowered form of a purple violet; but in the 
case of V. adunca it will save confusion thus to recognize the occasional 
loss of this prominent character of the type,— marking a distinction 
just the reverse of that now made between V. rupestris Schmidt and 
its var. arenaria (DC.) Beck.! I would therefore propose: — 
VIOLA ADUNCA var. glabra, var. nov. Planta foliis, stipulis, cauli- 
busque glabris; aliter typo similis, ad quem transit,— Leaves, stipe 
ules, and stems glabrous; otherwise as in the type, into which it 
passes.— Eastern specimens seen are: QUEBEC: — gravelly beach, Carl- 
ton, Bonaventure Co., Collins & Fernald 111, July 19, 1905. Prince 
Epwarp Istanp: — L. W. Watson, 1904 (live plants, still in culti- 
vation at Middlebury, Vt.). New Brunswick:— sand plain, Miscou 
Island, W. F. Ganang, August 15, 1905; Grand Menan Island, J. 
Vroom, May 9, 1880. Ontario:— Drommond's Island, Niagara, 
Macoun, May 13, 1901.  Micumican:— Isle Royale, W. S. Cooper, 
Aug. 20, 1909. N. Daxota:— Peninsula of Lake Ibsen, Benson Co., 
Dr. J. Lunell, May 10, 1907. 
Some further comments may be permitted, in order to clear up 
other misapprehensions regarding V. adunca and its allies. 
The hooked spur that suggested the specific name, though doubtless 
seen in all the specimens before the author of the species, is far from 
being a constant character, and occurs occasionally in such allied 
1 The following observation of Wilhelm Becker applies equally well to the allied 
American species, if we omit the word ''only ":— ‘‘ V. rupestris varies only as respects 
pubescence, which is + evident or quite lacking. The completely glabrous form occurs, 
sometimes, exceptionally; but sometimes it is the exclusive form of a whole region. 
* * The two are connected by transitional forms." Translated from VioLak Euro- 
PAEAE, p. 48. 
