446 BicKNELL : Studies in Sisvkixciiium 



both bracts often .serrulate or hispidulous ; outer bract ^-6 cm. 

 long, commonly }{-}^^ longer than the inner one, rarely twice its 

 length, foliaccous and abruptly pointed or more slender and atten- 

 uate, the margins below narrowly hyaline, united for about 4 mm. 

 at base ; inner bract 2-3.5 cm. long, herbaceous, the margins nar- 



rowly hyaline, obtusely pointed or acute ; interior scales mostly 



about ^ the length of the inner bract ; the spathes, when borne 

 on branches, are shorter ^\■lth less prolonged outer bract than when 

 terminating the main stem : flowers 3-6 on erect pedicels 1.5-3 cm. 

 long, deep violet-blue, w^th rather small yellow eye, large, peri- 

 anth 12-18 mm. long, indicating an extreme spread of over 3.5 

 cm. ; stamineal column 5-8 mm. higli ; ovary glandular puberu- 

 lent : capsules globose or . ovoid, 4-6 mm. high, rather thick- 

 walled, turning dark ; seeds (immature) irregularly obovoid, angled, 

 rugulose, stipitate, about i mm. in longer diameter. 



m 



Idaho, Washington, Oregon and California. Meadows and 

 moist grassy places, flowering in northern Idaho from the middle 

 of May into July, in western Oregon about a month earlier. 



Idaho : Kootenai Co., J. B. Lciberg, Geo. B. Aiton ; Latah 



Co., L. F. Henderson; Nez Perces Co., J. II. Sandberg. 



Washington : Whitman Co., A. D. E. Elmer, C. V. Piper ; 

 Chehalis Co., A. A. & E. Gertrude Heller. 



Oregon: "Eastern Oregon," L. F. Henderson ; Crook Co., J. 

 B. Leiberg ; Benton Co., A. Isabel Mulford. 



California : Wt. Shasta, 6000 ft, alt., Geo. Engclmann ; Yose- 

 uiite Valley, H. Mann. 



I find the labels on specimens of this plant variously Inscribed 

 with the names, S. ano;ustifolunii, S. anccps, S. Diucronatiiiii and 

 S. hclhiin. On one sheet all four names appear in different hand- 

 writings, well illustrating the confusion that has prevailed in regard 

 to the plant. 



The species may be taken as the northwestern representative 

 of S. angustifoUidu to which it is nearly related, differing in its 



typical state mainly in more ciliolate-scrrulate stems, longer spathes 

 with less unequal, more foliaceous bracts and much larger flowers; 

 it is also, as a rule, less stiff and straight, the stems often some- 

 what curved ; the spathes frequently deflected and enclosing longer 

 membranous scales than in S. angustifolium. In the usual state 

 of the latter the wings of the stem arc manifestly widened into the 

 base of the spathe ; in 5. Idahocnsc they arc scarcely, if at all, so 



