1920] WILSON, LIUKIU ISLANDS AND THEIR LIGNEOUS VEGETATION 171 



Nova Scotia (Pictou County), Prince Edward Island, Maine (Aroostook, 

 Pisquataquis, Hancock Counties), New Hampshire (White Mountains), 

 Vermont (Lamoille, Orleans Counties), New York (Essex County), Michi- 

 gan (St. Clair, Genesee, Chippewa, Houghton, Keweenaw Counties), Min- 

 nesota (Millelacs, Aitkin Counties). From British Columbia I have only 

 seen two specimens, one collected by J- Macoun under 54, Telegraph Trail, 

 June 18, 1875 (No. 1666, f.; G.) and the other by J. M. Macoun, Nacho 

 (? Nazko) River, in swamps, June 18, 1875 (No. 24254, f.; O.). Both speci- 



pyrifolia 



Winnipeg 



Columbia, 



I refer to sect. Balsamiferae not without a good deal of doubt, also the 

 following species which on the other hand shows some relationship to the 

 Commutatae. 



S. obtusata Fernald in Rhodora ix. 223 (1907). — This remarkable 

 species is so far only known from the Gaspe Peninsula, The type has been 

 collected by Fernald & Collins on innundated gravelly bars and beaches, 

 River St. Anne des Monts, near the head of the Grand Rapids, July 15, 

 1906 (No. 203, fr.) and August 16, 1906 (No. 203*, st.), and by Williams 

 and Fernald in Bonaventure County, New Carlisle, Arborvitae swamp, 

 July 28, 1902 (st.; Cor.; 0.9 to 1,2 m. high). The last specimen apparently 

 belongs to this species, but it has no stipules which are rather large and 

 persistent in the type. 



According to Fernald *' the leaves are glabrous, or the youngest arachnoid- 

 tomentose," but I have been unable to find a trace of an arachnoid pubes- 

 cence on them. The following description seems to me more correct: 

 folia novella superne paullo (praesertim ad costam) puberula, demum 

 costa basi pilosula excepta glabra, subtus ab initio glaberrima. Fernald 

 says: ** Closely allied to and strongly simulating the Siberian S, pyrolae- 

 folia Ledeb., but differing in its more shallowly toothed leaves, shorter 

 sessile aments and very short styles." I am by no means convinced, 

 however, that the Siberian species is closely related to S. obtusata of which 

 much more copious material is needed to decide the question of its true 

 relationship. 



Vienna, Navember, 1919 



THE LIUKIU ISLANDS AND THEIR LIGNEOUS VEGETATION 



E. H. Wilson 



The Liukiu Archipelago is a group of small islands between Lat. 28°, 30' 

 and 2i^. N. which like a string of stepping stones connect south Japan with 

 Formosa. It is divisible into three lesser groups, a northern, the Oshima 

 group, a central, the Okinawa group, and a southern, the Sakishima group. 

 All the islands are washed by the warm Japan current and enjoy an equi- 



