1915] St. John,— Elymus arenarius 99 
presence of “Elymus arenarius” on the north shore of the St. Law- 
rence! but the later generation of botanists, Michaux, Bigelow, and 
Pursh did not know of the presence of the common northern plant 
in a narrow strip along the coast of the regions about which they wrote. 
From specimens found in Kamchatka and the Aleutian Islands 
Elymus mollis Trin. was described, having the culm velvety-pubescent 
at summit, spikelets about 7-flowered, glumes softly hirsute and 3-5- 
nerved. E. arenarius of Europe has, on the contrary, the culm 
glabrous or with a mere trace of fine puberulence at the summit; 
spikelets 2-4-flowered, very stiff and rigid; glumes sparingly hispid 
or smooth and shining, with a definite midrib and with or without a 
pair of inconspicuous secondary ribs. 
After an interval of nine years Presl proposed the new name Elymus 
dives? for a plant found on Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island. His 
description leaves no doubt but that he was dealing with the plant 
having culms velvety-pubescent at summit, the glumes many-nerved 
and softly hirsute, which Trinius had already named Æ. mollis. 
In the same year, 1830, this plant, when found on the eastern coast 
of North America in Labrador, was published by Meyer as var. 
villosus of E. arenarius. He gives with this new name a few comments 
upon the appearance of the new variety which differs from the Euro- 
pean FE. arenarius by having villous longer spikelets. This hint as to 
the characters and the identity with E. mollis of all recent collections 
from Labrador referred to E. arenarius, var. villosus convinces the 
writer that E. arenarius L., var. villosus E. Mey. and E. mollis Trin. 
are one and the same. 
From another eastern station, Isle-Verte, Temiscouata Co., Quebec, 
a species of the same affinity, E. ampliculmis Provancher 5 was given 
a full and definite description. The points, “Chaume pubescent au 
sommet 5-8 flores" show clearly enough that this plant belongs with 
E. arenarius, var. villosus. In fact, E. mollis is cited as a synonym 
under the new species E. ampliculmis, but the principle of priority 
does not allow such a change as this to be followed. 
For many years this group of American plants called Elymus mollis 
was thought to be sufficiently understood, but in 1898, F. capitatus 
1Kalm, Reise nach nordlichen Amerika iii. 515 (1764). 
2 Trinius in Spreng. Neue Entdeck. ii. 72 (1821). 
3 Presl, Rel. Haenk. i. 265 (1830). 
4 E. Meyer, P1. Labrador. 20 (1830). 
5 Provancher, Fl. Canad. ii. 706 (1862). 
