1898-1902. No. 2.] VASCULAR PLANTS OF ELLESMERELAND. 83 



Var. gracilescens n. var. 



Forma insignis, seapo longiore et teiuiiore quain in typo, floribus 

 pallide flavis, racemo post florationeni elongato, siliculis elipticis, glabris 

 vel parce hirsutis. 



Fig. Tab. nostra 6, fig. 1—3. 



The form here in question was very conspicuous both on account 

 of its rather big, pale yellow flowers and, in fruiting stage, by its con- 

 siderably elongated raceme. I was also inclined to look upon it as a 

 separate species, but forms exists which connect it with D. alpina. It 

 would often appear with only one rosule of leaves and a single or a 

 couple of scapes, but also with a branched rootstalk, which was, however, 

 always elongated and slender. The leaves vary, as in the main species, 

 but generally they are rather broad, thin, and not very densely hairy. 

 The scape is rather tall (3 inches or more), erect, slender. It is still 

 more stretched during the development of the pods, and then also grows 

 somewhat more stout and stiff. It is rather sparsely hairy. In fruiting 

 state, the plant shows a certain resemblance to D. fladnizensis in the 

 build of the raceme and also in the form of the pods, that are more 

 pointed at both ends than in the typical D. alpina. The var. graciles- 

 cens generally grows in moist localities, especially in deep moss, viz., 

 in the same localities as those preferred by D. fladnizensis. Indeed, 

 there might be certain inducements to take it for a hybrid between D. 

 alpina and the last-mentioned species, but, on the other hand, it fruits 

 abundantly. When in flower, it is distinguished easily enough from D. 

 alpina f. typica and other varieties, by its pale flowers, but in fruit it 

 is more difficult to keep apart, and then there arises the further diffi- 

 culty of distinguishing it from D. fladnizensis. Indeed, the arctic Drabae 

 are always most easily separated when in flower, at least when living. 

 Dried specimens are always difficult to distinguish, and I should think, 

 that the statements about D. fladnizensis with a pale yellow flower, that 

 are to be found in several works, are partly due to herbarium speci- 

 mens with flowers that have lost their pure white colour, partly to con- 

 fusion with this variety of D. alpina. When Hart, Bot. Br. Pol. Exp., 

 p. 25, speaks of "pale yellow glabrous forms of D. alpina, which 

 occurred in Discovery Bay", that appeared "impossible to separate from 

 D. androsacea, Wahl., which is often pale yellow", I think he has in 

 fact had this plant in front of him, although I have not been able to 

 identify it among his specimens. Another plant I must refer to it, after 



