STANDLEY: CHENOPODIACEAE 421 
Probably it will never be possible for all botanists to agree 
upon a: treatment of the species of Afriplex of the A. hastata 
alliance, and in the past both European and American authors 
have held widely divergent views as to specific limits within the 
group. The present writer has recognized eight species in North 
America, namely: A. drymarioides Standley, known from a single 
Alaskan collection; A. sosteraefolia (Hook.) S. Wats., of Wash- 
ington; A. alaskensis S. Wats.; A. Gmelini C. A. Mey., ranging from 
northern California to Alaska; A. joaquiniana A. Nels., occurring 
from British Columbia to central California; A. littoralis L., 
A. patula L., and A. hastata L. All of these, except the first three, 
are closely related and are distinguished by comparatively slight 
variations. A. Gmelini and A. joaquiniana are probably suffi- 
ciently distinct. Of the last three, A. littoralis is doubtless the 
““strongest’’ species and when properly limited is easily recognized 
by its linear leaf blades and erect habit. The only American 
specimens seen that are referable to it are from the coast of 
Maine, except a few found as waifs in the vicinity of Philadelphia. 
Both A. patula and A. hastata seem to the writer to deserve specific 
tank. While no sharp line can be found to separate the multi- 
tudinous forms which are referable to them, the typical form of 
each represents a well-marked center of variation, which seems to 
merit more than subordinate rank. 
ATRIPLEX ROSEA L. Sp. Pl. ed. 2. 1493. 1763 
Atriplex spatiosa A. Nels. Bot. Gaz. 34: 360. 1902. 
Although this Old World species has been found along the 
Atlantic Coast from New York to Florida, it is probably nowhere 
in this area more than a waif. In the west, however, iis status 
is very different, for although it seems to have been introduced 
only recently, it has spread with amazing rapidity, its present 
known range extending from Washington to South Dakota, 
southern California, and northern Chihuahua. In many parts of 
its western range it is extremely abundant, so much so that in 
places it has been cut for hay. In parts of New Mexico it has 
every appearance of being a native plant, occurring in abundance 
many miles from a railroad. Its case is somewhat comparable to 
that of the Russian thistle, a European plant which for some un- 
