Department of Botany 

 (301) 454-3812 



UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND 



Division of Agricultural and Life Sciences 



College Park 20742 



18 November 1985 



Mr. Peter Lesica 

 Department of Botany 

 University of Montana 

 Missoula, MT 59812 



Dear Mr. Lesica: 



TViank you for the shipment of Eriogonum specimens. 

 ified the majority correctly. They eure as follcws: 



You have ident- 



3010 

 3327 

 3350 



3379 

 3452 

 3476 



3485 

 3548 

 3558 



E. 

 E. 

 E. 



E. 

 E. 

 E. 



E. 



E. 



var. piperi (Greene) M.E. 



X lagopus Rydb. 



mancum ?y3b. 



flavuro Nutt. in Fras. 



Jones 



ovali folium Nutt. var. oval i folium 

 X lagopus Rydb. 

 strict urn Benth. subsp. proliferum ("Harr. «. Gray) 



Stokes var. proliferum (Ttarr.' t. Gray) Reveal 

 androsaceim Benth. in DC. 



var. nevadense Gandoger 



_ oval 1 folium Nutt. 

 E. flavum Nutt. var. polyphyllum ( Steal 1 ex Rydb.) M.E. 

 Jones 



As to Eriogonum ovali folium and E. strict um ; the tvo species fre- 

 quently occur in the same general area and it is true that the two are, 

 at best, only weakly differentiated on morphological grounds. In fact, 

 in central Idaho, I have an as yet unnamed variety of E. ovali folium in 

 which the inflorescence is branched albeit in a fashion unlike that of 

 E. strictum . 



As to Eriogonum lagopus , this is a different matter. In the brief- 

 est of terms, and sinfdiest of explanations, E. lagopjs is a hybrid com- 

 plex involving E. brevicaule and E. pauciflorum . Your 3452 is the most 

 common expression that is found, a strai<^t hybrid between the two or at 

 most backcrossed onto E. brevicaule . Your 3010 is a new expression in 

 this mess, and one I have not seen previously. This appears to be a 

 backcross onto E. pauciflorum , and specifically a local expression of E. 

 pauciflorum with few tepal hairs. 



Thanks for the specimens. Please give Kathy Petterson my best. 



Sincerely, 



James L. Reveal 

 Professor 



