124 PROCEEDINGS OP THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



IX. 



CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE GRAY HERBARIUM OF HARVARD 



UNIVERSITY, NEW SERIES. 



v. — THE NORTH AMERICAN SILENE^ AND 



POLYCAEPEtE. 



By B. L, Robinson. 



Presented April 12, 1893. 



The following study of the Silenece and Polycarpece is preliminary 

 to treatment of these tribes of the Caryophyllacece in the " Synoptical 

 Flora of North America." The object of the present publication 

 is chiefly to secure aid through criticisms, and to call attention to such 

 species, especially in the genera Silene and Lychnis as are still imper- 

 fectly known, so that if possible more complete material of them may 

 be secured before final revision for the first volume of the Synoptical 

 Flora. Specimens of these groups, especially puzzling forms from 

 the "West and Northwest, together with notes concerning any points 

 not properly covered by the following descriptions, will be gratefully 

 received by the author, who here cordially acknowledges the valuable 

 assistance already rendered him in his work by the late Dr. George 

 Vasey and Dr. J. N. Rose, of the Department of Agriculture ; Prof. N. 

 L. Britton of Columbia College ; Mr. and Mrs. T. S. Brandegee and 

 Miss Alice Eastwood, of the California Academy of Sciences; Prof. John 

 Macoun, of the Canadian Geological Survey ; Mr. John H. Redfield, 

 of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences ; Mr. John Donnell 

 Smith, and others, whose names are mentioned in the text. In the 

 enumeration of synonyms and the citation of literatui-e Dr. Sereno 

 Watson's " Bibliographical Index " has been a most useful guide ; 

 80 far as possible, however, all references to literature as well as points 

 of synonymy, from whatever source, have been subjected to careful 

 verification. 



CARYOPHYLLACE^, Tribe I. SILENE^. Sepals united 

 into a 4-5-toothed or lobed tube or cup. Petals unguiculate and often 

 scale-bearing at the junction of the blade and claw, borne together with 



