56 Muhlenbergia, Volume 3 
In the series of papers on Asses by Janczewski in Bull. 
Acad. Cracovie, two descriptions from which are included in. 
this issue, we find several things to which we take exception. 
He enlarges the section, or rather genus Rodsonia of Ber- 
landier, to include such species as R. Lobbit, Menztest, and least 
expected of all, occcdentale. Robsonia was founded upon Rzbes 
spectosum, an evergreen species with 4-merous flowers, the calyx 
lobes erect, not reflexed in anthesis, and it has no relative near 
enough to be joined with it in a section. It is true, six of his 
seven species have, like speczosum, large flowers, but we can see 
no other reason for-including them. | 
Under R. Menziesit he includes subvestitum, Victoris, and 
amarum as synonyms. In general appearance subvestitum is 
something like Mezzzesiz, but in addition to different floral 
characters, it has yellow fruit covered with glandular yellow 
bristles, instead of being red. Vzctorzs also has yellow fruit, its 
flowers quite different from those of subvestitum. R. amarum 
from the southern part of California is certainly distinct enough. 
True Menzzesti is rare in herbaria, and we have only recently 
definitely placed certain specimens as being of this species. The 
type was collected at Trinidad in Humboldt county, California, 
and we doubt whether the species may be found south of the 
adjoining county of Mendocino, and that only in the coast re- 
gion. 
R. hespertum is said to be a synonym of occidentale. ‘This 
is simply astonishing, since the two do not in the least resemble 
each other. &. occzdentale is our commonest species here at 
Los Gatos. Had he confused amarum and hesperium, both 
from the same region in southern California, and resembling 
each other superficially, there would be little ground for dissent. 
There are still other examples which might be cited, but 
the above are sufficient to show that Dr. Janczewski has evi- 
dently not profited by the studies of workers in the field, who 
have in recent years written upon the subject from intimate first 
knowledge of the plants in both the living and dried state. 
