Vol. 44 . No. 3 
BULLETIN 
OF THE 
TORREY BOTANICAL CLUB 
2 > 
MARCH, 10917. 
A revision of the genus Polygonatum in North America 
R. R. GATES 
(WITH PLATES 4-6) 
This genus has been in a very chaotic condition owing to the 
‘“‘lumping”’ of species, the transference of names, and the confusion 
of North American with European species. The whole genus con- 
tains probably not less than fifty species, the majority of which 
are European or Asiatic. There has been a marked tendency to 
form aggregate species of the European forms, so that they too 
are in need of a critical revision and comparison with North 
American forms. Not until then will it be possible to determine 
the closeness of the relationship, though it appears at present that 
none of the North American species agree with European forms. 
The North American forms have been divided by Farwell 
into two groups, the Pubescentes and the Glabrata, corresponding 
respectively to the species which have hitherto been erroneously 
going under the names P. biflorum and P. commutatum and which 
-were supposed to comprise all American forms. It may be pointed 
out that the European alternate-leaved species are also some of 
them glabrous and ‘some pubescent. 
The number of species here recognized is nine, including 
three, P. hirtum, P. canaliculatum, and P. parvifiorum, which are 
only known from early descriptions. The remaining species show 
much puzzling variation, so that a number of varieties are recog- 
nized, and the limits of variation of several of the species are by no 
[The BuLLetin for February (44: 65-116. pl. r-3) was issued February 27, 1917.] 
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