: 494 
criticised by the botanist for publishing descriptions founded 
upon material which the latter considers fragmentary and 
defective, the following paragraph from the work is quoted in 
order to show the point of view of the former: “Any im- 
pression that possesses a character which marks it as different — 
from all other impressions and as peculiar to a horizon or 
series merits a characterization sufficient for its complete dis- 
tinction; for its value in identifying that horizon within certain 
limits is equally important, whether it be a good species to 
the eye of the systematic biologist, or only the track of an other- 
wise unknown organism.” In other words, accuracy of descrip- 
tion and location is the first essential. Systematic position is only 
incidental ; and to those who appreciate the value of palaobotany 
in the correlation of strata and the determination of geological 
horizons this statement of the case appeals most forcibly. 
; A. H. 
A New Ilysanthes —While botanizing in the lowlands of south- 
ern Missouri this summer, my attention was attracted by a form — 
of /lysanthes that appears to have escaped the notice of botanists 
generally. It was so unlike anything I had ever seen that I was 
constrained to observe it more closely at the different localities I 
collected in, and I found that it is the prevailing form of south- 
eastern Missouri; at least I observed it in Dunklin, New Madrid, 
Stoddard, Scott and Cape Girardeau counties. In aspect itis the 
exact opposite of J. gratioloides, and may be characterized as fol 
lows: é 
_ Decumbent, low and spreading bushy annual; leaves round= 
ovate or oblong-ovate, thinnish, very veiny, serrate, OF often 
coarsely dentate, all of them petioled, the lower quite long- 
petioled; pedicels thickish, less than 12 mm. long, and mut" 
shorter than the leaves, and commonly two or three in the axils df 
flowers about 3 mm. long; capsule small, acuminate at apex, 
calyx-lobes setaceous, much longer than the capsules. oes 
Although there seem -to be sufficient characters present ied 
maintain this as a species, for the present it may be designated = 
ILYSANTHES GRATIOLOIDES CURTIPEDICELLATA. 
Differs from J. gratioloides mainly in having larger thin 
__ Which are petioled, shorter pedicels, longer calyx lobes, Sev 
oe pedicels in the axils, decumbent habit and in being slight! ot 
