Bicknell : Studies in Sisyrinchium 245 



Sisyrinchium littorale Greene 



* 



Vancouver Island: Oak Bay, near Victoria, May 31, 1893, 

 first flowers, Macoun. 



The counterpart in appearance of many examples of the 

 Alaskan plant, but apparently somewhat more glaucescent and 

 with the stamineal column longer — 7-9 mm. high as against a 

 nearly uniform length of 6 mm. in such Alaskan specimens as 

 have been examined. This difference is a suggestive one and its 

 constancy should be especially noted when the plant is again col- 

 lected. 



" I cannot remember seeing this species anywhere else than at 

 Oak Bay" [J. M.]. 



The Vancouver plant flowers about one month earlier than the 

 species in Alaska. 



Sisyrinchium Macounii sp. nov. 



Becoming 50 cm. tall, the narrow grass-like tufts loosely disin- 

 tegrate-fibrillose at base, the roots slender and nearly simple : pale 

 dull green and glaucescent, somewhat discolored when dry. 

 Leaves long and narrow, mostly 20-30 cm. long, 1.5-3 mm. wide, 

 slenderly very acute, rather thin, the delicate nerves firm and dis- 

 tinct but not crowded, the edges smooth : stem single but some- 

 times bearing near the top a slender leaf subtending a simple pe- 

 duncle, very slender, 1-1.5 mm. wide, with very narrow almost 

 membranous margins, the edges smooth or obscurely denticulate- 

 roughened towards the top, transversely constricted just below 

 the spathe : spathes green or slightly purplish along the edges, 

 often or usually abruptly deflected, long and narrow, the bracts 

 thin and not prominently nerved ; outer bract slenderly much 

 elongated and tapering acute, 4-7 cm. long, surpassing the inner 

 bract 1.5-4 cm., the extreme edge hyaline below, united-clasping 

 for 4-7 mm. at base ; inner bract 23-33 mm - l° n g> tapering and 

 slenderly acute, distinctly hyaline-margined, the keel often sparsely 

 denticulate ; interior scales silvery -white, tapering, short, about 

 half the length of the inner bract : flowers large, few, apparently only 

 2—4, on slenderly exserted subspreading pedicels becoming 35 

 mm. long, perianth 18-22 mm. long, the emarginate segments very 

 slenderly aristulate, deep purple with a very small yellow eye, the 

 base abruptly broadened from its attachment on the ovary ; stami- 

 neal-column 8-9 mm. high, anthers 2 mm. long. 



" This species was not rare around Comox and was occasion- 



