6 Contributions to Western Botany. 
A2B. Bulb coats many, marked by about 16-20 delicate ribs 
(except perhaps in A, Brandegei) which rarely produce any 
branches at right angles to them; proper bulb very small; 
propagating hy division of main bulb, which is 1-2’ long. 
A2BC. Reticulation of bulb coat vertically-oblong or narrow, 
' sometimes little wrinkles occur in the coat which appear 
like cross-ribs, coats very thin and delicate; bulbs with 
tapering and long apex; leaves several, straight, not thick 
nor leathery, arising from crown of the bulb. 
A2BCD. Bulbs lanceolate in outline, about 2’ long (rarely 1’ 
long in A. brevistylum), with a thick central stem or stems 
arising from the crown which is conspicuously sheathed 
with white membranes and which bear several long, nar- 
row, flat leaves which are barely acute; bulbs ascending, 
crowning a conspicuous rootstock; flowers on slender pedi- 
cels; top of peduncle thickened into a knot (which is not 
couspicuous inA.brevistylum) and peduncle flattened and 
winged; sepals gibbous at hase; stems erect, 1-8° high; ribs 
of bulb-coats persisting as straight threads after the thin 
portion has perished; plants growing in wet meadows, 
moStly at high elerations and blooming in July. 
A2BCDE. Flowers pink or purple, many; ovary obscurely if at 
all crested; Sepals conspicuously acuminate. 
2. A. validum Watson Bot. King 5 350 Rootstock grad- 
ually changing into a bulb and rooting on the under side; root- 
lets thick aud coarse; ribs of hulb-coats about 16, extending to 
tip of the leaf; stems stout, often 6” thick and sometimes 3° high 
and correspondingly winged; leaves 2-6” wide, 1-2° isha Howers 
with conspicuously exserted stamens; filaments gradually widen- 
ing toward the base; anthers nearly linear; sepals 
and pedicels 
short, bracts 2-4. very broadly ovate 
3. A. brevistylum Watson Bot. King 5 350. Rootstock 
Fate ater stoma 
