flowers purple, the petals white within, deep purple on 
the back: styles very slender, 1.5-2 mm. long, spread- 
ing, purple (contrasting with a white disc); carpophore 
2-parted, the halves bifid; fruit ovoid, 2.5-8 mm. long, 
” mm. broad, truncate at apex, rounded at base, the ribs 
filiform, acute, much narrower than the intervals; vittae 
several in the intervals, 2 on the commissure; seed face 
plane; chromosome number n= 22. 
Type: Chihuahua: near boundary of Municipio de Batopilas and 
Municipio de Urique, between Quirare and Basigochic, elevation about 
6900 feet, flowers red, 8 June 1973, Robert A. Bye, Jr. 4068 (GH: 
holotype; ECON, UC). It was collected in the same locality on 31 
May 1973, Bye 3863 (ECON, UC), and 6 October 1975, Bye 6965 
(ECON, UC). 
Tauschia bicolor, known to the Tarahumara as ‘‘masii- 
wari” (or ‘‘masiéwari’’)‘, is considered a quelite or pot- 
herb, although it is not commonly consumed today. The 
young tender leaves can be collected during the fall as 
well as during the spring. ‘To date, we know of only one 
locality for this herb, which is eagerly devoured by graz- 
ing goats and sheep. The plants are restricted to the 
western slopes above Arroyo Basigochic near an isolated 
stand of Abies durangensis. ‘They are common on moist 
(not wet) eroded slopes of partially open pine and oak 
forest, where they often grow with Chimaphila and 
Galium, while scattered individuals can be found in 
crevices of white volcanic rock or in thin soil of the mixed 
wood forest. Due to heavy grazing pressure, few plants 
are able to produce mature fruits. The rhizomes appear 
to be important in the vegetative propagation of the 
Pirate LXIL. Tauschia bicolor Const. & Bye. a, Habit, » 4: b, fruiting 
umbel, “2; c, mature fruit, “8; d, fruit transection, “15; e, carpo- 
phore, <8; f, petal, 15; g, first basal leaf, <4. a-d, f, from Bye 
4068; e, from Bye 6965; g, from Bye 3868. 
Ff a F ee x as 
* One informant referred to this herb as ‘“kurisove’’. 
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