122 



Deep, cold ravines near the summits of the Mogollon Mountains. 

 Collected by the writer in flower in April, 1881 ; also observed in 

 fruit, in the same locality at a later date by Mr. Rusby. The fohage 

 has some of the odor of the English black currant, and the nearest 

 ally of the species \%R.flon(Ium of the Eastern States, from which 

 it is readily distinguished by its short racemes on erect peduncles. 

 ^ Primula Rusbyi. — Green and glabrous except the upper portion 



of the pedicels and the base of the calyx, which are densely white- 

 mealy ; leaves thin, spatulate-oblong, 2-4 inches long, pale beneath, 

 . the margins rather strongly denticulate ; scape 6-10 inches high, 

 slender, 6-io-flowered ; bracts of the involucre ovate- or lanceolate- 

 subulate 2-5 lines long; pedicels \~\\ inches ; calyx ovoid-campan- 

 ulate, the triangular-subulate lobes much shorter than the tube; 

 corolla deep purple with yellow eyQ ; the obcordate lobes 4-5 lines 

 long, each bearing a small, subulate, central tooth ; the tube nar- 

 •rowly funnelform, twice as long as the calyx ; root a rather dense 

 tuft of somewhat fleshy fibres. 



On rich, moist slopes, near the summits of* the Mogollon Moun- 

 tams in New Mexico, August, iSSi. Collected by Mr. H. H. Rus- 

 by, whose zealous labors amid so many dangers and difficulties as 

 attend all botanizing in that field, are now crowned by the discovery 

 of so splendid ^a new species, as rarely falls to the lot of any bot- 

 anist, no\v-a-days, to find. Since the discovery of Primula Parryi 

 of the Colorado Mountains, that superb species has held an unques- 

 ^^ tioned title to the first rank, in point of beauty, among American 

 species of this elegant genus. In P. Rusbyi it has a formidable rival. 

 This plant, while having corollas fully as large, and as richly colored, 

 has a more slender and graceful habit; moreover,, its calyces and 

 pedicels, so conspicuously white-farinose, contribute much to its 

 beauty. Being indigenous to both a lower latitude and a less altitude 

 than P. Parryi, it would doubtless be much more easily brought into, 

 cultivation, when it could not fail to take rank among the taost ad- 

 mired members of this favorite family. 

 ^ >. Phacelia coerulea.— Near P. cremdata, which in foliage and 

 pubescence it closely resembles, but taller, 1-2 feet high, commonly 

 with a few erect branches from near the base ; corollas less than half 

 as large, 2-3 lines broad, pale blue ; styles and stamens not exsQrted; 

 seeds 4, barely one-third as large as in P. crenulata, almost linear 

 in shape, minutely reticulated ; fresh herbage with a sharp mephitic 

 . odor. — P. crenulata of the Synoptical Flora in part, but not of Bot 

 King. 



Southern New Mexico and Arizona; common in rocky can- 

 yons, and on precipitous mountain sides. True P. crenulata, Torr 

 common m the same_ region, is found only on open plains or grassy 

 hillsides and differs m its twice larger, deep violet corollas and lon/- 

 exserted styles and stamens, as well as in its lower and stouter habit 

 Ihe circumstance which led to the distinguishing of the two species 

 was the striking difference m odor of the fresh herbage P crenu- 

 /a/a has a heavy, sickening, canine odor; P. coerulea\,^%^\^^ sharper 

 but less offensive smell of the skunk. ' 



Urtica GRAciLENTA.-Annual, 3-6 feet high, simple, or sparing- 



