186 Rhodora [DECEMBER 
anus Blanchard, R. amicalis Blanchard, R. glandicaulis Blanchard, 
R. multiformis Blanchard and R. recurvicaulis Blanchard. 
Following Blanchard's stimulating example, scores of active field- 
botanists, who had not previously appreciated the need of close 
observation and unlimited collections and notes, have been studi- 
ously watching and painstakingly collecting the blackberries—pains- 
takingly, since the collection and preparation of hundreds or thousands 
of specimens of Rubus in a single season is a painful and monotonous 
task. Asa result of this alert interest many New England botanists 
had long awaited the publication of the present paper by Brainerd & 
Peitersen, for they had learned to have profound regard for Brainerd's 
work on the genus Viola. Furthermore, some years prior to Blanch- 
ard's phenominal activity, Brainerd had published a synopsis! of the 
New England blackberries, in which he recognized 11 species, 1 
variety and 1 hybrid; and subsequently he has been our most posi- 
tive exponent of the theory that nearly all of our blackberries are 
hybrids. In the present paper, which is his latest statement on tbis 
question, 12 true species are recognized in New England and 46 
plants are treated as hybrids, suspected hybrids or blend species and 
5 as doubtful. And, although the “ New England” of this paper is 
chiefly Vermont (reversing the early usage when Vermont declined 
to be a part of New England), various plants unknown outside New 
York or New Jersey are included, thus displaying the authors' present 
liberality of interpretation, especially toward the west and south- 
west. 
The attempt to draw a definite line between the species and the 
hybrids and blend species has led to separate keys and treatments 
for these plants. This is unfortunate for the user, for no one, not 
specially forewarned or gifted with remarkable intuition, finding Rubus 
frondisentis (“ R. pergratus X setosus”) superabundant in Coos County, 
New Hampshire, R. glandicaulis (* R. allegheniensis x setosus”) in 
the thickets of Prince Edward Island where R. setosus is unknown, or 
R. arenicola (* R. Baileyanus x frondosus”) dominant on dry barrens 
of Nova Scotia where R. Baileyanus is unknown and where R. fron- 
dosus is represented only by R. recurvans, can guess in which key to 
trace his species. 
As stated, Rubus glandicaulis (cited by the authors on p. 61 as if 
found at only 3 stations—1 each in Maine, New Hampshire and Ver- 
mont) occurs on Prince Edward Island where, during three seasons 
of conscientious observation and collecting of Rubus by such careful 
field-botanists as Blanchard, Bartram, Long, St. John and the pres- 
ent reviewer, no R. setosus (reputed parent of R. glandicaulis) has 
ever been found. Similarly, R. arenicola (cited on p. 75 as found at 
3 stations—1 in Maine, 2 in eastern Massachusetts) is common in 
Nova Scotia (where long since collected and identified by Blanchard), 
‘Brainerd, The Blackberries of New England, Ruopona, ii, 23-29 (1900). 
