eT, o> ee 
. 
1918] Fernald,— American Equisetum sylvaticum 129 
The petiolulate lateral leaflets, the shorter flowers and fruits and 
the more numerous seeds are the chief characters, then, of the new 
species which may very appropriately be known as 
Staphylea Brighamii, spec. nov., S. trifoliae peraffinis; foliolis 
lateralibus petiolulatis basi non haud obliquis, laminis 6-8 cm. longis 
circa 3 cm. latis, petiolis 5-8 mm. longis; floribus brevioribus circa 
6 mm. longis, sepalis purpureo-tinctis; capsula plus minusve pur- 
pureo-tincta solum circa 3 cm. longa et fere 3 cm. diametro; seminibus 
saepius 6-7. 
Very similar to S. trifolia but lateral leaflets petiolulate and not at 
all oblique at base; blades 6-8 cm. long, about 3 cm. broad, petioles 
5-8 mm. long: flowers shorter, about 6 mm. long, sepals purplish: 
capsule more or less tinted with purple only about 3 cm. long and 
nearly as thick; seeds often 6 or 7.— Onto: near Toledo, Oct. 1, 1917, 
and May 6, 14, 1918, H. C. Brigham (TYPE, Gray Herb.). 
Gray HERBARIUM. 
THE AMERICAN REPRESENTATIVES OF EQUISETUM 
SYLVATICUM. 
M. L. FERNALD. 
European descriptions of Equisetum sylvaticum and many American 
descriptions copied from them are nearly uniform in describing the 
branches as rough; thus, we find Schkuhr saying: “Rami verticillati, 
numerosi....scabri,”! or Milde writing “Die Aeste... .rauh,” ? 
while European figures very regularly show sections of the branches 
with conspicuous trichome-like spicules. These descriptions and 
illustrations have always been perplexing to certain American students 
who have been familiar with the plant of our woodlands and meadows, 
which is generally called E. sylvaticum, because in the American plant 
the branches are so universally glabrous or smooth. Examination of 
the material in the Gray Herbarium and the herbarium of the New 
- England Botanical Club shows that there are 194 sheets of North 
American specimens and of these 194 sheets 188 have the branches 
1 Schkuhr, Krypt. Gewiichse, 170 (1809). 
2 Milde, Gefiss.-Crypt. in Schles. 432 (1858). 
