344 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [November 



ceralophorum. Touching this point, a parallel study of T. lyratum 

 is very illuminating. In several cases I have seen among material 

 that was positively T. lyratum a freakish foliage form that looked 

 superficially just like T. mulilum. In fact one of these specimens 

 (Walpole 1987, Hb. U.S. 379107) appears to have deceived Greene, 

 for he had labeled it T. mulilum. Inasmuch as true T. lyratum is 

 seen thus to produce a similar foliage form at times, and since 

 true T. ceratophorum is known to be present wherever T. mulilum 

 or T. lacerum has been collected, there seems to be no reason for 

 considering either T. mulilum or T. lacerum distinct from T. cerato- 

 phorum. At the most they evidently can rank no higher than 

 mere forms or varieties. 11 



Many older specimens have been determined in herbaria, some 

 by Asa Gray, as T. montanum Nutt. (non Mey. et DC), a species 

 cited by Nuttall from "on the banks of the Platte, in subsaline 

 situations toward the Rocky Mountains, and in the highest valleys 

 of the Colorado of the West." This name was retained by Wooton 

 and Standley (Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb. 19:627. 1915) notwith- 

 standing the validity of the previous name T. montanum (Mey.) 

 DC. Rydberg (Fl. Rocky Mts. 1035. I 9 I l): however, recogniz- 

 ing the impropriety of retaining Nuttall's duplicating name, 

 created the new and similar name (Leon tod on) monticola, which 

 thus is directly equivalent by synonomy with Nuttall's species. 

 Even if Nuttall's species had been taxonomically worthy, how- 

 ever, which it was not, Rydberg's new name for it would be 

 invalid, as Greene (loc. cit.) had already created the name T. dume- 

 torum for material which came from the same region and which did 

 not specifically differ. 12 Obviously Greene's name would have 



11 It may be noted, however, that Handel-Mazzetti (Monogr. Taraxacum 87. 

 pi. 5. fig. 2. 1907) separates an apparently corresponding form of Europe, T. balticum, 

 from the broader leaved T. paludosum (cf. footnote 9). 



12 Wooton and Standley, and also Rydberg do in fact present T. dumetorum, 

 which they have sought to differentiate as a separate species. I have examined all 

 the types (in Hb. Greene) and other specimens cited for T. dumetorum by Greene, 

 and can find no differences other than those that can be proved to be field variations, 

 or that would pass with the great majority of taxonomists as typifying merely incon- 

 stant forms. Nuttall's description, "caliculum biserial, short and appressed, the 

 scales ovate or lanceolate, with broad membranaceous margins; sepals not corni- 

 culate, about twelve" shows that his plant was the form later treated by Handel- 

 Mazzetti as T. lapponicum Kihlm. In Nuttall's plant the bracts were thus not 

 corniculate, whereas in typical T. dumetorum cornicula are present. These distinc- 

 tions, however, do not appear to be of any value specifically. 



