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leafy stem, quite missing the general appearance presented by 
Marylandica of a tall strict plant stiffly umbellate at the top of a 
simple stem. The general umbel of gregaria is more compound 
and much more slenderly branched and foliaceous; the leaves are 
thin and bright green, in contrast with the firm and dull or bluish- 
green leaves of Marylandica; furthermore the leaves of gregaria 
are never seven-divided, nor are the basal leaflets parted or deeply 
cleft, as seems always to be the case with both Marylandica and 
Canadensis; the leaves, too, are more pointed, and more sharply 
incised and serrate-lobed than in Marylandica, and never assume 
the narrowly oblanceolate form with long tapering base so often 
seen in that species. In the early spring the plant forms dense 
clusters of leaves which may number forty or more rising from 
one compound rootstock, At flowering time the bright yellow an- 
thers and yellowish-green petals of gregaria give the plant a char- 
acteristic appearance and distinguish it conspicuously from our 
other species. The flowers, moreover, have a slight fragrance 
faintly suggestive of those of the spice bush. 
This plant seems to have escaped the observation of every one 
of our botanists except Dr. Darlington, who, in his “Flora Ces- 
trica,” makes an unmistakable allusion to it. Speaking of S. Mary- 
landica, he says, “It also presents a variety, with dullish yellow 
flowers.” 
As already remarked, a good figure of this species appears in 
“The Flora of the State of New York,” in the plate of S. Mavy- 
landica. 
S. gregaria usually grows in close leafy often extensive com- 
munities, in damp low woods and thickets; S. Marylandica is much 
less gregarious, scattering itself in loose colonies through rich, often 
hilly or rocky woods; S. Canadensis often grows in a still more 
scattered way, and seems to prefer a simpler more earthy soil than 
Marylandica. Sometimes, however, in damp thickety spots in 
somewhat rocky woods all three plants may be found near 
together. 
S. gregaria is the first of the three to flower in the spring: 
coming into bloom at New York from the second to the fourth 
week of May; S. Marylandica follows a week or two later, more 
or less; S. Canadensis is much later, not flowering before the 
third or fourth week in June, in some seasons not until July. 
