VOL. IV.] Writings of Edward L. Greene. 99 



description one cannot be certain even that it belongs to 

 Amarantus. 



Euphorbia Benedida Greene is E. misera Benth. 



Etiphorbia velutina ^ Greene is E. tomentidosa Wats. 



E. Parishii-\ Greene, described as " suffrutescent " and as 

 having " the aspect of E. polycarpa, but the peculiar flowers of 

 that very dissimilar species, E. ocellata, which is annual, with 

 much larger, veiny leaves and round oval seeds," has in the 

 typical specimen no root. Mr. Parish, who collected it, writes: 

 ' ' My own specimen is reduced by repeated division to a mere 

 fragment but the root remains and is plainly annual." 



In "West American Oaks" Mr. Greene by the information 

 gained in one hasty trip, made at such a season of the year 

 as to furnish him neither flowers not mature fruit, reached con- 

 clusions the opposite of those held by Engelmann, which were 

 the result of several seasons of field study and of a great mass of 

 material from all parts of the country sent in answer to his call. 

 Further study by botanists without the mania for new species 

 which characterizes Mr. Greene is much more apt to reduce than 

 increase the number recognized by Engelmann. 



The white oak of the southern part of California was consid- 

 ered by Engelmann to belong to Q. oblotigi folia. Mr. Greene 

 separates it as a species, under the name O. Engclmanni Greene. 



As Mr. Greene's figures sufficiently show, Quercus Doug- 

 lasii H. & A. as it goes south runs into forms which are 

 differently placed by botanists either in O. Doiiglasii or in Q. 

 oblong if olia {Q. Eugelmanni), and the first duty of an investigator 

 of our oaks is to show that they are not northern and southern 

 forms of the same species. In a climate like that of California 

 the question of deciduous or persistent leaves makes very little 

 showing in the matter. 



Quercus McDonaldi Greene if separable from Q. oblongifolia 

 cannot be held distinct from forms of 0. undulata Torr. such for 

 instance as the one taken up by Mr. Greene under the name 

 Quercus veiiustula. 



Quercus McDonaldi var. elegantula Greene was admitted by 



* Bull. Cal. Acad, ii, 57. 

 t Bull. Cal. Acad, ii, 56. 



