37 
SOME SPECIES OF DODECATHEON. 
By Epwarp L. Greene. 
In 1888 I indicated that in this genus the roots, and some 
other subterranean parts, were found to furnish, in several 
instances, the most satisfactory characters upon which to 
establish species. During the six years that have since 
elapsed, continued observation has brought to light a diver- 
sity of root characters quite beyond what one could have 
anticipated. While a very considerable portion of the species 
have a short subterranean erect crown bearing more or less 
diversified roots and sometimes bulblets, some are now 
known to me that exhibit quite other modifications of sub- 
terranean organs; and I shall here speak of several, under 
headings of such group characteristics as the underground 
parts afford. 
* Plants with a distinct perpendicular tap-root. 
D. radicatum. Main root at least 1 or 2 inches long, 
thickish, bearing coarse and simple fibrous roots on all sides; 
the short crown also with a special whorl of similar fleshy- 
fibrous roots: leaves very few (about 3 only), thin, light 
green, with elliptic-oblong entire blade tapering to a winged 
petiole almost as long: scape slender, few-flowered: corolla 
apparently pink or reddish: stamineal tube very short, 
anthers acute: style long exserted. 
All that I have seen of Fendler’s n. 549 of the New Mexi- 
can collection is of this species, and it is otherwise unknown 
tome. In all the specimens that I have been able to examine 
in American herbaria the remarkable tap-root—a thing so 
unexpected in the genus—has failed of being preserved. 
Some part of this organ remains in one of the specimens 
preserved at Kew; but it is best shown in the British 
Museum specimens. The whole plantis glabrous, the flowers 
1 Pittonia, i. 210. 
Erytuxa, Vol. IIL, No. 3, [1 March, 1895.] 
