BOTANY. 87 



Gentiana acuta, Michx, var. stricta. Banks of Hat creek, California. 



Gentiana simplex (Sp. nov.:) caule unifloro e radice annua simplicissimo parce foliato gracili 

 (semipedali et ultra;) foliis lineari-lanceolatis oblongis crassiusculis ; calyce quadrifido, seg- 

 mentis lanceolatis ; corolla ccerulea infundibuliformi irnberbi haud coronata, lobis 4 oblongo-spa- 

 thulatis integerrimis ; antheris brevibus discretis ; stylo brevi ; stigmatibus rotundato-dilatatis ; 

 capsula stipitata ; seminibus alatis. Upper Klamath lake ; August. 



It is not easy to fix upon the section of the genus to which this pretty and well-marked 

 species should be referred. The discoverer not unnaturally took the plant for a Cicendia, not- 

 withstanding the size of the blossom ; but the stout style is persistent on the capsule and splits 

 through in dehiscence, and all the characters are those of a Gentian. The slender stems are 

 always simple, and bear from two to four pairs of small leaves, the uppermost remote from the 

 solitary flower. The showy corolla is fully an inch long, and of a bright blue color. The 

 stigmas are large and broad ; the ovary tapers below into a decided stipe, which in fruit is half 

 the length of the oblong capsule; and the seeds are broadly winged ; their insertion sutural. 



Plate XVI. Gentiana simplex. Three entire plants. Fig. 1. The calyx laid open, and the 

 ovary transversely divided. 2. Upper part of the corolla laid open, with the stamens, and the 

 upper part of the pistil. 3. A capsule, dehiscent, with its stipe. 4. Seeds. The details 

 variously magnified. 



Erythraea Muhlenbergii, Griseb. in DC. Prod. 9, p. 60. This is the " Ganchalagua" of 

 the natives of California, for which high medicinal virtues are claimed. It grows plentifully on 

 the low grounds bordering Suisun bay ; the flowers are rose red, numerous, and very pretty. 



Menyanthes trifoliata, Linn. Common in marshes in the Sacramento valley. 



APOCYNACE2E. 



Apocynum ANDROSiEMiFOLiUM, Linn. Banks of Pit river and McCumber's, California. Plant 

 always smaller than in the Eastern States. 

 Apocynum cannabinum, Linn. Pit river, lower canon ; August 6. 



ASCLEPIADACE.E.— (By J. Torrey.) 



Asclepias Fremonti, Torrey. McCumber's, N. Cal. 



Asclepias fascicularis, var. foliis latioribus, Decaisne in DC. Prod. p. 569. Common in 

 N. California and southern Oregon. 



OLEACE.E. 



Fraxinus Oreqana, Nutt. Sylv. 3, p. 59. Fort Reading, California. 



ARISTOTOCHACE.E. 



Aristolochia Californica, Torr. in Whippl. Pep. p. 178. Banks of Sacramento near Fort 

 Reading, California. 

 Asarum hookeri, Field. Sert. t. 32. Cascade mountains, 0. T. 



CHENOPODIACE^.— (By John Torrey.) 



Obione argentea, Moq. Chenop. p. 76. Klamath lake. 



Blitum rubrum, Peich. ; Moq. in DC. Prodr. 13, (pars 1,) p. 83. Klamath lake. 



Atriplex patula, Linn. Klamath. 



