340 Bickxell: Studies in Sisyrixchium 



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to the exact application of its name. The species is a perfectly 

 authentic one and has failed of recognition evidently because never 

 properly" distinguished from the commoner and far more wide- 

 spread 5. angnstifolinm, a plant of similar habit, but stouter and 

 more glaucous and differing especially in its much larger fruit. 

 While the distinctness of these two plants is not at all a matter 



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of doubt, the variation of S, nnicronatuvi is so considerable that, 

 in order to define that species iinderstandingly it will be well to 

 give sharper definition to the type as contrasted with certain stouter 

 forms of the plant which take on more the likeness of S. angusti- 

 foliuvu Michaux's description can no longer be misunderstood and 

 the type of 5". mncronatum may be confidently taken as the smallest 

 form of the plant markedly set apart by almost capillaceous stem 

 and leaves, small flowers and conspicuously red-purple spathes. 

 This is an exceedingly delicate and attractive little plant ren- 

 dered especially striking by its close and numerous capillary ap- 

 pearing stems tipped with the bright-colored spathes. In this 

 extreme form of the plant the tufts are but 10-20 cm. high and 

 the leaves and stems only .5-1 mm, wide, the latter merely mar- 

 gined and with the edges mostly very smooth. The leaves, com- 

 monly about one half the height of the stems, are erect and almost 

 setaceous, the edges sometimes obscurely roughened at the apex. 

 The narrow spathes have the outer bract 12-24 mm. ^^"S ^^"^"^ 



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aristulatc-prolonged for 5-12 mm. beyond the inner one wdiich is 



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scarious-obtuse or bifid at the apex and apiculate from the mid- 

 nerve ; the flowers are few and small, the perianth appearing to be 

 only 6-8 mm. long, on capillary, exserted, somewhat spreading 



pedicels 10-16 mm. long, fruit not seen. 



In this typical state the plant cannot possibly be confused with 

 any other species ; nevertheless it appears to pass into an every way 

 larger form the extreme state of which simulates forms of 5. an- 

 gustifolium from which, however, the smaller, more globose fruit 

 readily distinguishes it. The stoutest example seen, from Washing- 

 ton, D. C, has larger flowers than occur in any other eastern 

 species the perianth being 12-14 ^^n- long. 



A form of the plant found by Dr. Britton and myself fruiting 

 in abundance in a damp meadow near Tannersville, Pa., July 4> 



