4(34 Rydberg : Rocky Mountain flora 



but consisting of short stiff straight hairs whenever present. 

 This, the real 5. Bigelovii, was distributed by Mr. Wooton, from 

 the White Mountains of New Mexico, as S. Rusbyi, an error for 

 which I am solely responsible. The species is nearer to S. Rusbyi 

 than it is to S. scopidinus, which latter I have until recently as- 

 sumed to be the typical S. Bigelovii." These statements of Greene 

 are correct in as far as that the specimens distributed by Wooton 

 and referred to by Greene are the most like the original 5. Bigelovii 

 of any that we have in the herbarium of the New York Botanical 

 Garden, but Wooton's specimens have narrow leaves, the blades 

 of the basal ones are not abruptly contracted at the bases, and 

 the heads are smaller than in S. scopidinus, while those of the type 

 of S. Bigelovii are much larger, even larger than those of S. con- 

 tristatus. 



The treatment of Senecio in the New Manual of the Botany 

 of the Central Rocky Mountains is fairly good. There are many 

 cases, however, in which the authors have reduced species to 

 synonymy under closely related species, where the writer is in- 

 clined to keep them distinct, but where this is merely a matter 

 of difference of opinion. But there are other cases in which 

 such reductions are wholly unwarranted, misleading, and destruc- 

 tive to real science. Such a case for instance, is where Senecio 

 solitarius Rydb. is made a synonym of S. subnudus DC. A 

 mere reading of the description of the former would show that it 

 is related to the group comprising S. integrifolius Nutt., 5. colum- 

 bianus Greene, S. per plexus A. Nels. etc., while 5. subnudus is 

 related to S. aureus. Another case is where Senecio Flintii Rydb. 

 is made a synonym of 5. glaucescens Rydb. The former is closely 

 related to 5. exaltatus Nutt. and has a short crown with fascicled 

 roots, characteristic of the S. integrifolius group, while 5. glau- 

 cescens has a distinct rootstock, and is related to S. anacletus 

 Greene. 



Under Senecio per plexus A. Nels. we find the following state- 

 ment: "(S. columbianus Rydb. in Fl. Col., not S. columbianus 

 Greene, of which S. atriapiculatus Rydb. is a synonym.)" The 

 true typical Senecio columbianus Greene is found in Colorado 

 and not uncommon. The only question in my mind is whether 

 S. perplexus A. Nels. is really specifically distinct. The only 



