50 PITTONIA. 
always a deep-seated fusiform root, from the summit of which 
there arise abruptly those branches which we designate as the | 
rootstocks, but which are the proper stem of the plant, albeit 
producing rootlets from their nodes. Collectors will not take 
the trouble of digging out these roots, and so only here and 
there one meets with an herbarium specimen that shows it. | 
But in the succeeding group, quite as considerable as to the © 
number of species, I am as confident that no fusiform proper root | 
will be found. The rootstocks themselves are of quite another 
type, being slender, short-jointed, inclining to be horizontal, the i 
short internodes in several of the species becoming thickened | 
in such wise that the rootstock may be described as moniliform, — 
Moreover, these organs whether vertical or horizontal end abruptly, 
the basal terminus being even thicker than any other part, so | 
that the rootstock has to be described as premorse. But the 
most obvious distinction of this group is that which I shall 4 
proceed to name. 
** Corolla saucer-shaped, or almost rotate. 
> 9. C. PUMILA (Dougl.), Greene. Menyanthes pumila Dough 
MSS. Villarsia pnmila, Griseb. in Hook. Fl. ii. 70, t. 15% 
Capnorea nana (Lindl.), Raf.? This little plant, needing not 
to be described anew, after the full diagnosis, and good figure 
in Hooker’s F/ora, is montane, and even subalpine. The 
ascending or half-horizontal posture of the rootstock or root, 
and the bead-like internodes are well brought out in the plate | 
The small size of the plant, the cut of its leaves, and also the 
shallow lobes of the corolla, all suggest that just this plant, a 
well as, or better than any species of the other group, may hav’ 
constituted what foundation there was in nature, for 
probably more than half imaginary flower credited to “Nicotiant I 
nana” by Lindley. d 
Unless I am here confusing several species, C. pumila has 3 
somewhat extended range north and south in several chains i 
