‘PSA coe Oe RO IP RL, i Oe at Ey on en 
, RY Salo 4 \ ‘ oe ow, t 
: et ’ aye Was 
106 | Muhlenbergia, Volume 3 
bistorta.” If the flowers were removed from some specimens of 
vettchianum, there is no doubt that it would be impossible to 
distinguish between the two, so that S. mzcranthum, in the 
light of our present knowledge; can only be separated from some 
specimens of .S. veztchianum by the size of the flowers. This is 
not as definite a difference as systematists would wish, but mzc- 
ranthum and vettchianum are very variable, and we are left to 
conclude that as in some others of the Onagraceae variations are 
frequent and naturally produced, or hybridization is common. 
If experiments prove the stability of the various forms, a 
number of new varieties will require to be established for both 
these species. Abrams in his “Flora of Los Angeles and Vicin- 
ity” gives the most accurate description of the various species 
and their general distribution, which I cannot improve upon, 
but shall add some of the details gathered from examination of 
the various herbaria. 
Of S. BISTORTA (Nutt.)Walp. there are specimens in the Uni- 
versities of California, Stanford, and Parish’s herbaria, from the 
type locality near San Diego. These, with two from Ballona, 
Los Angeles county, Abrams 300, are the only typical speci- 
mens of this species in the combined collections. The fruit of 
this species is short, comparatively stout, 2 lines or more in 
width, and quite different from that possessed by the inland 
forms that have heretofore passed for dzstorta. This plant is 
apparently absolutely confined to the costal sands. Abrams 
gives its limits as San Diego to Santa Barbara. All the inland 
forms have longer and narrower fruit with a more attenuate 
beak, are generally more foliaceous and spreading, and may at 
present all be classed as S. veztchianum. 
S. VEITCHIANUM (Hook.) Small, is a common plant in 
southern California from the borders of the Mojave desert to San 
Diego. A plant from Springville, Ventura county, University 
California 20423, is the most northerly point represented. The 
typical veztchianum from around Los Angeles is almost smooth 
in its lower parts and hairy towards its flowering points; but 
