Botanical Gazette. 



Vol. V. MARCH, 18}{(). No. 3, 



Editorial — Never have our friends come forward more readily to 

 the support of the Gazette than in the beginning of this fifth volume. 

 More subscriptions have been received than ever before in the same 

 time. Many letters have come expressing surprise that such a publica- 

 tion as the Gazette existed, for the writers had never heard of it Now 

 this kind of knowledge will have to be spread by botanical friends, as 

 it would be impossible to have the Gazette advertised in such a way 

 as to come to the knowledge of every botanist. If our friends, in 

 their correspondence, will mention the Gazette and recommend, at 

 least, applying for a sample copy, many persons will be reached who 

 will be glad to become subscribers. The G .zette can pay for itselt 

 now, but some such effort to increase our subscription list will enable 

 us to pay for plates, by which we can secure some excedingly valu- 

 able articles. That our friends may know in what estimation the Ga- 

 zette is held by our leading ootanists and thus feel a confidence in 

 recommending it to any of their friends, we make the following quo- 

 tation from the American Journal of Science and Arts for February: 

 "It (the Gazette) is an organ for communication among botanists, 

 for the prompt publication of notes and observations, and of those 

 contriiiutions to knowledge which every accurate observer may do his 

 part in, but which must be collected in order to be preserved and util- 

 ized. New species are published or announced in it, but it is rather 

 an organ for new observations and botanical news. It is well con- 

 ducted; it is very useful; we learn that it is in a condition which in- 

 sures its continuance, and that every increase in the subscription will 

 go towards increasing its value. Our botanists should now see that it 

 is worthily supported. Indeed they can hardly do without it." 



The Genus Leavenworthia has been almost from the first involved 

 in s"me difificulty as to the species. Having now some new material, 

 I wish to bring the present state of the case before the botanists of the 

 Trans-Alleghanian States it inhabits in order to obtain from them 

 further collections and observations in the course of the ensuing 

 spring and early summer. With such aid I may then hope to deter- 

 mine the number and distinction of the species. 



Two species were originally established by Dr. Torrey; L. aurea, 

 with distinct style and embryo nearly straight, and L. Michauxii, with 

 style almost wanting and radicle oblique. The corolla of the first 

 was said to be yellow, upon the authority of the original collector. Dr. 

 Leavenworth. Indeed one of his specimens in the Shortian herbari- 



