128 ERYTHEA. 



In the first fascicle of the Synoptical Flora, all new binom- 

 ials were, for these reasons, indicated by n. sp. In the case 

 of actual novelties, such as Clematis Siiksdorfii, this practice 

 does not appear to be open to any serious criticism, and even 

 with new binomials, such as Erysimum occidentale, which 

 result from a generic transfer, such a use of n. sp. is not 

 really untruthful, since it is used in the by no means unprec- 

 edented sense of nova species generis, or new species of the 

 genus concerned. 



However, such a use certainly seems undesirable, since it 

 obscures the more or less useful distinction between actual 

 novelties and new combinations resulting from generic 

 changes. To bring out this distinction also, the abbreviations 

 n. sp. and n. comb, were respectively applied in the second 

 fascicle of the Flora. The editor shares the critics' dislike 

 of these expressions, yet feels strongly that in this case some- 

 thing of the sort is necessary to secure perfect clearness, 

 which after all is the chief aim in scientific composition. 



A NEW CALIFOENIAN lEIS. 



By Gael Purdy. 

 Iris Watsoniana. Rhizome widely spreading, very stout, 

 6 to 9 lines in diameter; sheaths not splitting into coarse 

 fibers; leaves 4 to 5 in a tuft, linear, clearly ribbed (but not 

 so strongly as in /. Douglasiana) , ascending, the upper third 

 curving down as in /. Douglasiana, 6 to 9 lines wide, 20 to 30 

 inches long, longer than the scapes, rosy at base, long acum- 

 inate; stem stoat, solid, compressed, 20 to 30 inches high, 

 bearing 2 to 3 leaves which are 8 to 9 inches long, 4 to 5 lines 

 wide; stem 2 to 3 headed, each branch 2 to 3 flowered; flowers 

 not enclosed in spathes, the lower narrow bract 1 inch below 

 lower flower; bract-spathes 2 to 3 inches long, green, lanceo- 

 late; pedicils 9 lines to 2 inches long; perianth tube 6 lines 

 long, deep purple veined with white and yellow, varying to 

 light lilac and sometimes pure white; the usual shade is as 

 dark a purple as is found in the dark I. mao'osiphon; falls 



