65 

 NEW SPECIES IN OREOCARYA AND ITS ALLIES. 



By Aven Nelson. 



Among the characteristic plants of the high plains, the arid foot- 

 hills and the more desert areas, such as the Red Desert of Wyoming, 

 one of the conspicuous groups is the one we only recently knew as 

 Krynitzkia. During several years of rather extensive collecting, 

 especial effort has been made to fully represent the species in this 

 group, and, as a result, not only are the species accredited to this 

 range fairly well illustrated but a considerable collection represent- 

 ing most of the species of the western United States has, through 

 the kindness of other collectors, been secured. 



In the mass of material that has been piling up as possible 

 novelties there are several forms now so fully represented and so 

 evidently different from any heretofore published as to warrant pro- 

 posing them as new. Some others are at hand, but further observa- 

 tions in the field, and specimens in other stages of development, are 

 needed before they may be passed upon. 



In many respects it is an uninviting group, one into which one 

 enters with much trepidation at best, though with less if familiar 

 with the forms under consideration in the field. It seems to me 

 that some of the difficulties, too, have been removed by the arrange- 

 ment of the species under three more closely-delimited genera. 



Oreocarya csespitosa.* The multicipital caudex densely 

 tufted, its branches short and thickly clothed with dead leaves; 

 stems short, only 5-10 cm. high, numerous, singly from the crowns, 

 simple; leaves crowded on tlie crowns and several on the stems, 

 linear to spatulate, obtuse or sub-acute, 5-30 mm. long including 

 the slender petiole-like base, densely silky canescent ; inflorescence 

 at first capitate, at length more open, thyrsoid-glomerate or short 

 spicate, the dense pubescence fulvous or canescent (scarcely hispid); 

 lower bracts leaf-like, the upper small and not surpassing the calyx ; 



*0f most of the species in this paper, material in abundance is at hand 

 and typical specimens will shortly be found in the leading herbaria of this 

 country, affording opportunity for their study. 



Erythea, Vol. VII, No. 7 [1 July, 1899]. 



