80 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Wdshington. 



obpyriform, while in tlie type of Q. suksdorfii they are but slightly 

 thicker toward the apex. 



Q. leichtlinii, Q. suksdorfii and Q. azurea are very closely allied and not 

 clearly definable by any of the characters that have been pointed out. 

 Indeed in the plants that have been referred to Q. leichtlinii, namely, all 

 of those whose perianth is nearly regular and connivent-twisting after 

 anthesis, there are other forms apparently better deserving of recognition. 

 This species or species group ranges from Vancouver Island to California, 

 mainly west of the Cascade Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, but also 

 occurs on the eastern slope of the Cascade Mountains but not in the in- 

 terior where Q. quamash is very abundant. In the area west of the 

 mountains named Q. quamash is a rare plant. 



The great majority of the specimens in the National Herbarium have 

 all the perianth segments 5-nerved and 20-25 mm. long agreeing with the 

 type of Q. azurea. 



Based on nervation alone groups of forms may be differentiated : 



1. Perianth segments all 3-nerved; 



2. Perianth segments 3 and 5-nerved ; 



3. Perianth segments all 5-nerved ; 



4. Perianth segments 5 and 7-nerved ; 



5. Perianth segments all 7-nerved. 



In general the number of nerves to perianth segments seems to be cor- 

 related with the vigor of the plant. At least those with the largest peri- 

 anths, sometimes 3-3.5 cm. long, have more numerous nerves, while 

 some of those with 3-nerved segments have very small flowers. It does 

 not appear in this species at least that the nervation of the perianth is of 

 taxonomic significance, but the matter deserves field study. 



A very noteworty specimen collected at Colby, Butte County, Califor- 

 nia, Mrs. R. M. Austin, No. 738, July, 1897, has 5 and 7-nerved perianth 

 segments 20-25 mm. long, with pedicels as long as the flowers in anthesis, 

 but in fruit 3-4 cm. long, more than twice that of the bracts. In its 

 long pedicels it suggests Q. howellii, but the large connivent-twisted 

 perianth at once separates it from that species. 



On the whole it is diflicult to avoid the conclusion that Q. azurea and 

 Q. suksdorfii should be considered synonymous of Q. leichtlinii. 



Quamasia leichtlinii commonly occurs in grassy prairies or well-drained 

 meadows, contrasting in this respect with the wet meadow preference of 

 Q. quamash. 



Quamasia quamash (Pursh) Coville, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 11 : 64. 



1897. 



Phalangium quamash Fuvsh, Fl. Am. Sept. 1 : 226. 1814. 

 Quamasia esculenta Raf. Am. Month. Mag. 2 : 265. 1818. 

 Camassia esculenta Lindl. Bot. Reg. 18 : t. 1486. 1832. 

 Scilla Kamas Nutt. Proc. Acad. Sci. Phila. 7 : 55. 1834. 

 Camassia quamash Greene, Man. Bay Reg. Bot. 313. 1894. 



Quamasia quamash is an abundant species in the eastern portions of 



