Observations on the North American Gratiolce. 106 



half of our botanical books consists of synonyms, and 

 references to different authors, no matter how obscure, or how 

 little known, and he who collects the most of this rubbish, con- 

 cludes that he has laboured most in the cause of science. 



Before proceeding to investigate this genus, it may be well 

 to observe, that the shape of the capsule is variable, some- 

 times even in individuals of the same species ; that the bracteal 

 leaves or appendages to the calyx are found in all ; and that 

 there never are four fertile stamina. 



1. Caroliniensis. Stem smooth, little branched, pro- 

 cumbent at the base, the upper part tetragonal, the lower 

 terete : leaves sessile, oblong, lanceolate, rather obtuse, 

 dentate, three-nerved : peduncles pubescent, short ; calyx- 

 leaves linear-lanceolate, equal, entire ; bracts broader, ex- 

 panding ; corolla white, internally pubescent ; sterile fila- 

 ments none ; capsule globose. Inhabits in wet grounds from 

 Carolina to Florida, if. Is sometimes found with part of the 

 stem and some of the leaves pubescent. 



This species, which is the largest in America, has a very 

 striking resemblance to the G. officinalis of Europe, but the 

 description points out the differences. It is remarkable what 

 confusion reigns among all writers with regard to it. Mi- 

 chaux saw its resemblance to the European species, and con- 

 sidered it the same. Persoon, struck by the circumstance of 

 its wanting the sterile filaments, makes a subspecies of it. 

 Mr. Elliott, who persuaded himself that the G. aurea was the 

 officinalis of Michaux, makes a new species of it under the name 

 of G. sphcerocarpa ; and Pursh, who never saw the plant but in 

 dried specimens, which he obtained from me, without hesitation 

 pronounces it the G. acuminata of Walter, and thus it becomes 

 again the G. megalocarpa of Elliott. It is doubtless the G, 

 virginiana of Walter : and may be the G. peruviana of Feuille, 

 for it would not be strange that a plant found in the lower 

 parts of our southern states, should extend into Mexico and 

 South America. 



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