336 Bickxell: Studies ix Sisyrixcehum 



Douf^l., which forms a genus clearly distinct from Sisyrinchuwt, 

 nor of the yellow-flowered California species, 5. Californicum 

 DryancI and S, Elmeri Greene, which again are not of the same 

 generic type as our blue-flowered species. This matter will be 

 discussed in a subsequent paper. 



SisvRiNCHiuM ANGUSTiFOLiUM Miller, Dict. ed. VII. 1759- 



5. Bcrimtdiana L. Sp. PI 954. In part. (?) 1753' 

 S. graminaifji Lam. Encyc, I : 408. 1783. 



vS. anceps Cav. Diss. 6: 345. pL igo.f, 2. 1788. 

 S. inontanum Greene, Pittonia, 4: 33, 1899. 



20-3 



high (8-56 cm.) stiff and erect, more or less glaucous. Leaves 

 usually ]/2. to ^' the height of the stem and 1.5-2.5 mm. wide 

 (1-3.5 mm.) linear and attenuate or sometimes slightly broadened 

 upwards and acuminate, the edges usually serrulate-roughened : 

 stems simple and leafless, or occasionally bearing a single leaf sub- 

 tending one or two branches 5-12 cm. long, 1-2 mm. or even 

 '3 mm. wide, \ving-margined, the wings equaling or broader than 

 the width of the proper stem, rarely narrower, more or less serru- 

 late or denticulate-roughened, apparently never wholly smooth ni 

 the eastern plant : spathes erect, green or sometimes purplish- 

 tinged ; outer bract 2-6 cm. long, surpassing the inner one i.5--'4 

 cm., rarely less than twice its length, slenderly attenuate or broader 

 and more abruptly acute, bbscurely^hyaline-marglned, clasping foi' 

 2-6 mm. at base; inner bract 1.5-3 ^^^- ^*^"^g^ hyaline-margined, 

 acute to narrowly attenuate ; interior scales silvery white, narrow, 

 usually about half the length of the inner bract : flowers 1-8, 



fc!. 

 0-12 



high; pedicels erect or nearly so, 1 7-2 5 mm. long, shorter or 

 slightly longer than the Inner bract : capsules 4-6 mm. high, 

 mostly oblong-subglobose and only obscurely trigonous pale, but 

 often cteuded with brownish-purple. 



This species is far more Avidely distributed than any other one 

 of its genus, ranging from Newfoundland and New Jersey to Sas- 

 katchewan and Montana and southward alono: the eastern moun- 

 tains to Virginia and in the west to southern Colorado. I have 

 seen no specimens from west of the Rocky Mountains. 



It is scarcely to be thought that the species holds true through- 

 out this wide range and indications are that, even as here hniited, 



aggre 



t5 



at least several geographical races. 



