184 JMEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN. 



* Sophia intermedia. 



Annual ; stems 3-7 dm. high, sparingly grayish puberulent, es- 

 pecially below, or sometimes glabrate, often glandular above, the 

 hairs more or less stellate ; leaves twice or thrice pinnatifid, the 

 primary divisions oblanceolate or obovate, divided to near the midrib 

 into linear or linear-oblong segments, sparingly puberulent or glab- 

 rate ; raceme rather long ; pedicels in fruit 1-1.5 cm. long, diverg- 

 ent, sometimes nearly at right angles ; pods club-shaped, slightly 

 curved, glabrous, 5-10 mm. long and i mm. wide, with seeds more 

 or less distinctly in two rows, erect or ascending. 



It has been nearly impossible to distinguish between S. caiicscois 

 and S. incisa, as, especially in the Missouri valle}', most of the 

 specimens do not agree with either, being almost glabrous or slightly 

 puberulent with stellate hairs, but not canescent. They have 

 therefore been referred to S. incisa. But the pod is more or less 

 club-shaped and evidenth' 2-serial, and if this character has been 

 taken into consideration, they have been refered to S. cancsccns. I 

 think that the trouble will be removed if a third species, intermediate 

 between the other two, is admitted. This species is the most com- 

 mon in the region west of the Missouri, from Indian Territory to the 

 Saskatchewan, and extending westward to the Rockies. All the 

 specimens from this region referred either to ..S". iiicisa or to S. caii- 

 cscois may belong to ^". inter media ; at least I have not seen any 

 that may be referred to either of the two. West of the mountains 

 S. intermedia is rare. 



From S. incisa it differs in the shorter club-shaped pods, which 

 are 2-serial and erect or ascending on spreading pedicels, and in the 

 form of the segments of the leaves. In S. incisa the primary 

 divisions are ovate-lanceolate and divided only about half way to 

 the midrib into ovate teeth. The pubescence, if any, is also differ- 

 ent, not stellate, but consisting, of longer pilose hairs. From S. 

 canescens it differs in the narrow segments of the leaves and the 

 sparser, not cinereous, pubescence. It perhaps most resembles S. 

 Jilipcs, but that species has pods similar to those of S. iticisa, is per- 

 fectly glabrous, and has less dissected leaves. 



S. intermedia is not uncommon on hillsides, up to an altitude of 

 2500 m. 



Montana: Melrose, 1895, JRydherg, 2672 ; Bridger Mts., June 

 11-14, 1897, Rvdhcrg & Bessey, 41 g() and 4200; Cedar Mt., July 

 16, 41 qS (broad leaved) ; West Gallatin, 1883, Scribuer, 8p; Beaver 



