l8 9*-i Briefer Articles. n 



5 



base; the stipular appendages, which are present on the middle cau- 

 line leaves, deeply laciniate; involucral bracts rather rigid, acute, erect 

 or spreading, seldom reflexed. 



No. 2. Stem, peduncles, involucres, and bracts densely covered with 

 a very short brown glandular pubescence with only occasional white 

 jointed hairs; leaves not flat but conspicuously curled or " crisped/' 

 the upper cauline larger and more numerous than in no. i, sessile with 

 very broad cordate clasping bases; stipular appendages of the others 

 subentire or toothed, but not deeply laciniate; scales of the involucre 

 long-acuminate, thinner than in no. i, and nearly always abruptly re- 

 flexed. Blooms late in October, a month or more after the other. I 

 have thus far been unable to detect any difference in the flowers, ex- 

 cept that the rays of no. 2 are distinctly paler than no. 1. 



Unfortunately it is not known from what localities the plants in the 

 Harvard Garden were taken. On comparing them with the specimens 

 in the Gray Herbarium, I find that the first is the more usual form; 

 while only one specimen in the herbarium (from Lexington, Ky., col- 

 lected by Short,) approaches nearly to no. 2. 



It has long been recognized that S. laciniatum is subject to consider- 

 able variation in stem and foliage, and efforts have accordingly been 

 made from time to time to separate as varieties or even distinct species 

 some of the more remarkable forms of this polymorphic plant. In 

 these attempts, however, the distinctions have been based chiefly upon 

 such characters as the depth to which the leaves were divided, the 

 paniculate or subspicate inflorescence, the presence of copious resin, 

 etc., which have proved unsatisfactory for systematic purposes; since 

 the division of the leaves, and character of the inflorescence are very 

 variable, even in the same individual. It remains to be seen whether 

 the characters here described will be found more serviceable. Most 

 important among them, I think, is the nature of the pubescence, as 

 there the difference is scarcely one of degree, but rather of kind. 



As I hope to contiuue my study of the forms of S. laciniatum, I 

 should be much indebted for specimens of, or facts concerning this 

 widely distributed species. Information about the range of the 

 glandular-stemmed variety (no. 2), or the possible occurrence of in- 

 termediate forms will be especially acceptable.— B. L. Robinson, 

 Cambridge, Mass., Dec. 1890. 



The propagation of Ranuiwulus lacustris Beck & Tracy.— That little 

 is positively known of the true length of time that this plant lives, is 

 evidenced by the following quotations: 



"Perennial by rooting from the nodes, if at all." (Gray's Manual, 

 revised edition, under R. multifidus.) 



