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PROCEEDINGS OP THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



The Melanthacea form the least of the three divisions of the order, 

 numbering 28 genera and only 112 species. The Colchicece belong 

 exclusively to Europe and the Mediterranean region. The Veratrece 

 are almost as exclusively North American, a few species occurring in 

 Eastern Asia and Veratrum extending into Europe. It is the only tribe 

 that in North America enters Mexico, and the only one that finds rep- 

 resentation in the southern hemisphere in the allied Anguillariece of 

 Africa and Australia. The Heloniece have two monotypical genera in 

 the Atlantic States, and three others (including Metanarthecium) in 

 Japan. The Tojieldiea, occupying the northern temperate zone, seem 

 to have a solitary representative (a species of Tofieldia) in the moun- 

 tains of Peru, while Hewardia of Australia is in some respects analo- 

 gous to Pleea of the Southern Atlantic States. 



In general and in conclusion, this hasty and imperfect sketch of the 

 more prominent facts in respect to the distribution of the order, while 

 showing the evident connection of the northern floras of the continents, 

 also indicates a certain, though more distant, relationship (however it 

 may be accounted for) between the flora of Pacific America and that 

 of South Africa and of Australia. 



II. Descriptions of some new Species of North American Plants. 



Thalictroi toltcarpum. Rather stout, 2 or 3 feet high or 

 more, glabrous throughout : leaves with short petioles or the upper 

 sessile; leaflets variable, 3 to 12 lines long, the lobes acutish to 

 acuminate : panicle narrow, often small ; the staminate usually 

 crowded, with flowers on short pedicels: anthers linear, acute, on very 

 slender filaments : styles scarcely attenuate upward : fruit usually in 

 dense heads, compressed, broadly oblong-obovate or obovate, abruptly 

 acute, subreticulately 3-5-nerved, 2£ or 3 lines long: seed linear, 

 terete, nearly 2 lines long. — T. Fendleri, var. (?) polycarpum, Torr. 

 in Pacif. R. Rep. 4. 61, in part. T. Fendleri, Br.ew. & Wats. Bot. 

 Calif. 1. 4, mainly. Pacific Coast Ranges from Monterey (or Los 

 Angeles ?) to Oregon (Washington County, J. Howell) ; also in the 

 Sierra Nevada.— T. occidentale, Gray, is a similar species, with 

 more slender open panicles, the staminate very diffuse with slender 

 elongated pedicels; style attenuate; fruit usually few (1 to 6) in 

 each head, narrowly oblong (3 to 4 lines long) and attenuate at 

 each end ; seed nearly 3 lines long. It ranges from British Columbia 

 to W. Montana and N. E. California (Plumas County, Mrs. Austin). 



