A REVISION OF CERTAIN SPECIES OF PLANTS OF THE 

 GENUS ANTENNARIA. 



By Elias Nelson. 



Scieniific Ai<L U. S. Department of A(jrietiJliire. 



Recent study of the genus Anton niiria in North America has been 

 contined almost entirely to the o-roup represented by .1. (djVHa, A. 

 dioka, and A. plantaglnifolia of Gray's Synoptical Flora. These, as 

 treated by Dr. Gray, have proved to be ac^gregates. The names .1. 

 (djnna and .i. dloJca were originally applied to Old World plants, and 

 it appears that no American specimens are referal)le to those species. 

 Prior to 1897 only live species of the North American continent had 

 been described in this group, viz, ^L planfaghiifolia (Linna?us) Rich- 

 ardson, A. monocephala De CandoUe, A. soUtaria Rydberg (.1. pJanta- 

 ginifolia monocephala Torrey and Gray), A. parolfdia Nuttall, and 

 A. lahradorica Nuttall. During the last four years, however, about 

 50 additional species have been published. The Antennarias of many 

 parts of North America are as yet little known, and much research 

 in connection with the genus is still necessary. Mr, Fernald has 

 succeeded in arriving at a very satisfactory arrangement of the New 

 England Antennarias. Those of other regions are in need of similar 



study. 



In this paper an attempt is made at a natural arrangement of the 

 western and northern species of this group. A tolerably satisfactory 

 synopsis can hardly be expected until more material from this vast 

 region is at hand. Many of the species are very imperfectly known; 

 a considerable number from their type localities only. Especially is 

 this true of the far northern species. Because of the great variability 

 of the species and their very frequent and perplexing intermediate 

 forms, a reasonably complete series of specimens representing each 

 must be obtained before its claim to specific rank can be considered 

 fully established. When more material is secured, it may be found 

 that too many species have been recognized in this paper. 



In the study of this genus it is of the greatest importance that the 

 identity of each published species be definitely determined, 1 have 

 been very fortunate in having had the opportunity of examining types 

 or typical material of all the species included in this paper except 

 ^1. parvifolla, A. monocepJiala, and A. aisoidrs. The last named is 

 the only species of which I have seen no specimens. Although 1 have 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. XXItl— No. 1230. 



