NIGHTSHADE FAMILY 455 



California area. His paper is, however, devoted primarily to aboriginal uses of the plants, not 

 to the systematic botany. 



In Oregon and Washington, Nicotiana bigelovii is represented by a form called Nicotiana 

 multivalvis Lindl. (Bot. Eeg. t. 1057, — 1827, cult, in England, the seed collected on the Columbia 

 River, Douglas), and in Jlontana by a form called Nicotiana quadrivalvis Pursh (Fl. 141, — 1814, 

 "on the Missouri, principally among the Mandan and Eicari nations," Lewis). In the northwest 

 these two forms have been cultivated immemorially by the native tribes as a smoking tobacco. 

 Nicotiana multivalvis and N. quadrivalvis are, without reasonable doubt, cultural mutants de- 

 rived from N. bigelovii. Even before the coming of the white man in western America, the seed 

 and the leafage of Nicotiana bigelovii, it seems certain, were articles of barter on the Indian trad- 

 ing routes. Because of similarity between Nicotiana bigelovii and N. quadrivalvis and by reason 

 of evidence derived from crosses between them E. M. East (Bot. Gaz. 53:246) was convinced 

 (some thirty years ago) that N. quadrivalvis was really N. bigelovii var. quadrivalvis. The ovary 

 of Nicotiana quadrivalvis is 4-celled, that of N. multivalvis is several-celled. Not only is the ovary 

 of Nicotiana multivalvis several-celled but typically an extra circle of carpels is found outside 

 the central carpels. While the ovary is thus a monstrosity, this peculiar ovarian structure is regu- 

 larly inherited. In connection with the multicellular ovaries and capsules of these two forms it 

 is of great interest that Nicotiana bigelovii, as observed by W. A. SetcheU (see above), occasion- 

 ally shows a 3-celled ovary in the North Coast Ranges. 



The distribution of Nicotiana bigelovii in California is validated by the following citations. 

 Sierra Nevada foothills: Drytown, Amador Co., Hansen; Columbia, Tuolumne Co., Jepsnn 6342; 

 near Hideaway Ranch, east of Hildreth, Madera Co., Hormay 148; Toll House, Fresno Co., Ball 

 4- Chandler; Breckenridge Mt., Kern Co., Bauer 6a. Great Valley: Princeton, Colusa Co., Davy 

 4304; Vacaville, Jepson 21,246; French Camp, San Joaquin Co., Sanford; Bakersfield, Davy 1736 

 (some upper cauline leaves subcordate at base). Coast Ranges : Callahan, Siskiyou Co., Alexander 

 4- Kellogg; Willow Creek, Trinity River, Tracy 3500; Feltz Creek, Hopland, Jepson 9437; Mt. 

 Hanua, w. Lake Co., Jepson 21,249; St. Helena, Jepson 21,248; Neponset, Salinas Valley, Abrams 

 4087; New Idria, w. Fresno Co., Guirado 764; Cuyama Valley, se. San Luis Obispo Co., Jepson 

 12,164. Mohave Desert: Victorville, Hall 6187. 



Coastal Southern California is inhabited by the var. "WALlacei Gray, the plants 1% to 4 feet 

 high, the calyx-teeth little surpassing the capsule or a little shorter, the corolla % to 1 inch broad : 

 San Francisquito Caiion, n. Los Angeles Co., Eall 6711; Newport Bay, L. M. Booth 1083; San 

 Bernardino, JParish 7132; Riverside, Jepson 1233; Temescal Wash, Jepson 1582; Temecula, C. V. 

 Meyer 153 ; Chollas Valley, San Diego, Cleveland. Of the foregoing collections some have the 

 cauline leaves cuneately tapering to the sessile base, some have the cauline leaves subcordate at 

 the base. Northward, in the Coast Ranges, vigorous individuals of Nicotiana bigelovii are also 

 likely to show subcordate bases to the cauline leaves: Neponset, Monterey Co.; Hopland, Mendo- 

 cino Co. (growing in the same colonies with the more usual leaf form) ; betw. Alton and Fortuna, 

 Humboldt Co. Extreme leaf variations of a different type may also be regarded as a feature of 

 various colonies of Nicotiana bigelovii throughout the area of its distribution in the Coast Ranges. 



The center of distribution of Nicotiana bigelovii, sensu latissimo, may be evaluated as occur- 

 ring in the North Coast Ranges on the basis of its abundance, individual vigor and diversity of 

 form. Coastal Southern California may be looked upon as a secondary center. As to the Santa 

 Barbara Islands, only one island, namely Santa Catalina, is inhabited by this species (cf . Eastwood, 

 Lflts. W. Bot. 3:70). 



Refs. — Nicotiana bigelovii Wats., Bot. King 276, pi. 27, figs. 3, 4 (1871) ; Jepson, Fl. W. 

 Mid. Cal. 390 (1901), ed. 2, 366 (1911), Man. 889 (1925). N. plumhaginifolia var. bigelovii 

 Terr., Pac. R. Rep. 4:127 (1857), type loc. Knights Ferry, Stanislaus Co., Bigelow. Var. WAL- 

 lacei Gray, Syn. Fl. 2 :243 (1878), type loc. Los Angeles, Wallace. 



2. ORYCTESWats. 



Low erect annual. Stems leafy. Flowers pedicelled, borne in axillaiy umbels. 

 Calyx 5-parted into narrow lobes. Corolla yellow or brownish or purple-tinged, 

 tubular, shortly 5-toothed. Stamens unequal, inserted at base of corolla-tube, 

 slightly exserted. Fruit a capsule with membranous pericarp, breaking open by 2 

 distinct valves. Seeds orbicular, flattened, margined. — Species 1. (Greek oructes, 

 a digger, given to this genus, says Asa Gray, because growing "in the country of 

 the Digger Indians.") 



1. 0. nevadensis Wats. Stems few from the base, 2 to 4 inches high ; herbage 

 puberulent and somewhat scurfy; leaf -blades ovate to linear, undulate with the 

 margins of the sinuses involute-inflexed, % to 1 inch long, petioled; umbels 3 or 

 4-flowered; corolla 3 lines long; capsule 3 lines in diameter. 



