SoME WESTERN POLEMONIACEX. 
That far-western Polemoniaceous type, common to North 
and South America, which has figured variously with dif- 
ferent authors as Gilia gracilis, Collomia gracilis and Phlox 
gracilis, having been the subject of special investigation on 
my part for many years, is now perceived to be an aggre- 
. gate of several well differentiated species; and, in the study 
of the proposed segregates I have been obliged to reconsider 
the proposition which I made some eleven years since, that 
the type is congenerie with Phlox Drummondii.' 
At the time to which I refer, it was a principle at least 
tacitly agreed to, in the classification of the Polemoniacee, 
that whether seeds developed mucilage when wetted or not, 
need not be considered; though Phlox alone had been 
characterized by Asa Gray as with seeds unaltered when 
moistened, and Collomia alone as uniformly exhibiting 
mucilaginous-coated seeds. But in other natural groups, ` 
such as Gilia, Navarretia and Linanthus, it was conceded 
that some species had mucilaginous seeds, others seeds un- 
altered under moisture. I had, therefore, no scruple against 
transferring Collomia gracilis to Phlox on this score. If 
species could be admitted into Gilia and into Navarrelia, 
some with and some without the gummy seed-coat, the 
same elasticity of character as to seeds might logically be 
conceded to Phlox. At present I am disposed to adopt it as 
a principle that species with mucilaginous seeds are no- 
where, in this family, to be placed as congeneric with such 
as have seeds devoid of the gummiferous coating. This 
. implies the removal of my Phloz gracilis from the genus 
. Phlox. This was referred by Douglas, its discoverer, to 
1 PrrrontA, i, 141 (1887). 
