CONTRIBUTIONS TO WESTERN BOTANY NO, 15 159 



be true then Alsine is not a synonym of Stallana, but when we consult 

 the Species Plantamm we find that Alsine media as described as having 

 bifid petal, which refutes the Kew Index statement, and makes at a syno- 

 nym of Stallaria. The only other species on which Alsine could stand is 

 segetalis, which is a Spergularia. Now out of the 275 names recorded in 

 Kew Index imder Alsine only two of tjiem, media and nemorum, could 

 stand, all the others being referred to other genera or hynonyms. Alsine 

 has almostt universally been considered, the same as Arenaria, but flie two 

 species on which it stands are Stellaria media and Spergularia segetalis. 



names 



a single species of Alsine. 



Drjmaria. It is evident that those who have treated this genus hith- 



know very 

 seeds are vs 



shape 



binson in Svn. Fl 



p. 253 under one star says "Cauline leaves rather broadly ovate." He 

 should have added "or wider." 



Silene multinervia Watson is like a pediceled form of Gallica, the 



seeds are the same, but ribs of Calyx are 15-20. It seems nearest to 



i^rp nnifp different, and ralvx ribs more. To me 



looks 



the seeds 



Silene concolor Greene is S. Pringlei Wat. 

 Silene simulans Greene is laciniata Cav. 



NOTES ON RANUNCULACEAE 



Ranunculus Austinae is very nearly tj^ical glaberrimus, and so is 



ellipticus Greene. 



Ranunculus Eschscholtzii. O. D. Allen's No. 97, distributed by Har- 

 vard as Suksdorfii, has sharp lobes but otherwase is Eschscholizii. No. 

 2669 Elmer from the Olympics is the same. It was distributed as Suks- 

 dorfii. Synon>Tns of this species are eximus Greene, alpeophilus Nelson, 

 Helleri Rydberg, saxicola Rydberg, ocreatus Greene, Utahensis Rydberg. 



Ranunculs vicinalis Greene is pedatifidus. 



Ranunculus glaberrimus has as synon>Tns R. calthacfloms Greene, 



inamoenus Greene and Populago Greene. 



Ranunculus unguiculatus Greene is alismaefolius, 

 Ranunculus stenolobus Rydberg is adoneus. 

 Ranunculus amooflossus is alismaefolius. 



Ranunculus Earliae is occidentalis. 



tampered 



Aquilegia. This genus has been 

 and without anv attempt to grow the proposed species. There seem to be 

 only two primary species in the genus in America, Canadensis and caeru- 

 Ica and from these all the others seem to have arisen in very recent geo- 

 logical times, so recent that the species are not fixed. Theoretically one 

 would not be inclined to think that flowers would divert to yellow, but 

 actual study of growing plants shows this Is the case. Another fact is 

 that the yellow flowered forms prefer open sunlight more, and hot areas 

 where there is abundant soil moisture. Red flowered forms occur m mid- 

 ,n. ^i^,-of;^nc onrl blue flowered forms at high elevations. The use of 



