Rydberg: Notes on Rosaceae 331 



Adenostoma sparsifolium Torrey. This was originally de- 

 scribed under the form "A . sparsijolia." The name Adenostoma is, 

 however, neuter. The species may perhaps represent a distinct 

 genus as the throat of the hypanthium lacks the fleshy glands, 

 characteristic of the type species. 



COLEOGYNE 



This genus was included in Cercocarpeae by Focke in Engler 

 and Prantl's Pflanzenfamilien, but evidently erroneously so. The 

 tribe Cercocarpeae in that work was a very unnatural one, com- 

 posed of five genera. Pnrshia and Chamaebatia evidently belong 

 to Dryadeae, notwithstanding their solitary carpels. Adenostoma 

 and Coleogyne represent distinct tribes, which leaves Cercocarpns 

 alone in the tribe. In Coleogyne the ovule and seeds are inserted 

 at the distal end of the ovary and pendent, in Dryadeae and Cer- 

 cocarpeae at the proximal end and erect or ascending. Further- 

 more, the pistil and the stamens in Coleogyne are separated by a 

 tube equalling the stamens. The filaments are adnate to the 

 base on the outside of this tube. Whether this tube represents a 

 prolonged hypanthium or a set of abortive and united filaments, 

 is hard to tell. The fact is that no such structure is found any- 

 where else in Rosaceae, but something similar is found in Cap- 

 paridaceae. The fruit itself, however, is an achene, and hence 

 very unlike the capparidaceous fruits. Another character ab- 

 normal to the Rosaceae is the opposite leaves and branches. The 

 only other rosaceous genus, that I can remember, having opposite 

 leaves is Rhodotypus* The latter is so closely related to Kerria 

 and in other respects typical, that no doubt can be entertained 

 regarding its belonging to the family. It is not so with Coleogyne. 

 Its peculiar flowers, its peculiar habit, more resembling Rhamna- 

 ceae, and opposite leaves and branches, etc., give rise to the 

 question, may it not properly represent a new family? 



WALDSTEINIA 



Waldsteinia Doniana Tratt. Fifteen years ago Dr. Small dis- 

 tinguished from W. fragarioides a new species which he published 



* Since the above was written Captain John Donnell Smith has described (Eot. 

 Gaz. 57: 420. 1914) another abnormal genus with opposite leaves, viz. Guamatela. 



