Rydberg: Notes on Rosaceae 85 



cespitose, scaly, thick subterranean rootstock, the branches of 

 which bear at the summit numerous basal leaves and short erect 

 or ascending stems bearing only reduced leaves. The pedicels 

 are in fruit erect or strongly ascending. These are characters 

 that need no microscope to be seen. The distinction between 

 P. Nelson ia mi (P. pinnatisecta A. Nelson) and P. ovina (P. diversi- 

 folia pinnatisecta S. Wats.) are that the leaflets of the former are 

 cuneate in outline, glabrate in age, and cleft only above the middle; 

 while in P. ovina they are obovate in outline, permanently hairy, 

 distinctly pectinately pinnatifid. The latter is a much smaller 

 plant than the former. 



Dr. Wolf also makes P. wyomingensis a mere form of P. plat- 

 tensis pinnatisecta, and this is done evidently without having seen 

 any specimens, for he states: "From the long diagnosis of the 

 author can it absolutely not be seen how this 'species' can be 

 specifically distinguished from his P. pinnatisecta. ." The fact 

 is that the type of P. wyomingensis is a better developed specimen 

 of P. monidensis A. Nelson, which Dr. Wolf regards as a distinct 

 species. P. monidensis was described from specimens just coming 

 into bloom. Aven Nelson, in the New Manual of the Central 

 Rocky Mountains, keeps them distinct. The differences given, 

 especially the form of the petals, do not hold. 



Concerning P. decurrens, a species belonging to this group and 

 most closely related to P. ovina, see my Notes on Rosaceae — IV 

 As the type of P. dissecta decurrens was rather poor I herewith cite 

 better material: 



Utah: Divide between Sevier and Beaver rivers, near Belknap 

 Peak, July 28, 1905, Rydberg & Carlton 7355; mountains north of 

 Bullion Creek, near Marysvale, July 23, 1905, Rydberg & Carlton 

 7152; Bromide Pass, 1894, Jones 56Q5I1. 



Dr. Wolf has also reduced P. cascadensis to a variety of 

 P. Drummondii, which is simply a matter of opinion. He also 

 places P. crinita and P. Lemmoni in the Graciles pinnatae next 

 after P. ambigens, notwithstanding the fact that neither of them 

 has any tomentum. 



Potentilla Richardii is transferred to the Rivales group on 

 account of its style. Dr. Wolf may be correct. I have not seen 



*Bull. Torrey Club 37: 495- 28 O 1910. 



* 



