OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 9 



Saxifraga ranunculifolia, Hook. "We now know this species, 

 it having been rediscovered by Dr. Macoun in the Yale Mountains 

 on Frazer River in British Columbia, in 1875, on the south side of 

 Mount Paddo (Adams), Washington Territory, by Mr. Howell in 

 1882, and even on Spanish Peak of the Sierra Nevada in California, 

 in 1878, by Mrs. Austin. As it multiplies by granular bulblets in 

 the axils of the radical leaves, and is in other respects congruous 

 with the section Neph-ophyllum, it ought to be referred to that group, 

 notwithstanding its complete anomaly in having peutandrous flowers ; 

 and the section Isomeria should be abolished. That was an incongru- 

 ous assemblage of the Saxifrage now under consideration with two spe- 

 cies oi Boyki)ua and the SulUvantia (genera which may be maintained), 

 along with the decandrous S. Jamesii, Torr. (not " Jamesiaua"), the 

 proper place of which in the. genus is still to seek. 



Of the species which in Dr. Engler's monograph are brought to- 

 gether in his section Boraphila the following may here be noted. 



Saxifraga Tolm.ei, Torr. & Gray, is not particularly related to 

 any of the species with which it is associated in Engler's monograph. 



Saxifraga stellaris, L., and S. leucanthemifolia, Michx., 

 species with lanceolate, acute, unguiculate, and mostly unequal petals, 

 are of uncertain limitation as respects the forms in N. W. America. 

 The true S. leucanthemifolia of the Alleghany Mountains seems 

 thoroughly well-marked, and has no tendency to bear propagating 

 bulblets in the inflorescence. More probably the var. Brunoniana of 

 Bongard and Engler belongs to S. stellaris. Engler's var. integrifolia, 

 of California, is certainly 



Saxifraga bryophora, Gray, Proc. Am. Acad. vi. 533 (1863), 

 and a distinct species, nearer to S. stellaris. 



The remaining species, with obtuse as well as equal petals, so far 

 as they are North American, may be discriminated by means of the 

 following key. The series ends with a peculiar California species, 

 recently discovered, which may be apjiended to this group. 



1. No creeping rootstocks, not bulbilliferous, no cordate or naked-petioled 



leaves . scape and leaves from a short caudex. 



Inflorescence au interrupted spiciforra thyrsus, with conspicuous leafy 



bracts. S. hkracifolia. 



Inflorescence narrowly thyrsiform or reduced to capituliform, not foliaceous- 



bracteate : flowers clustered, sessile or sliort-pedicelled. 



Low: leaves mostly dentate; calyx-lobes barely spreading. S. nivalis. 



Taller; leaves entire or denticulate r calyx lobes reflexed in fruit, broad, 



Shorter than the conspicuous petals. S. int&irifolia. 



About equalling the inconspicuous petals. S. Pennsylvanica. 



