296 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. | December, 
BRIEFER ARTICLES. 
Solanum triflornm Nutt.— Five y go this plant cOomy La 
uncommon in Northern Montana. It might-then be found here and 
there on the prairies or near water-courses, but now, during the past 
three years, it has-been noticeably increasing, owing to the rapid influx 
of people who, instead of going into stock-raising or mining, have turned 
their attention to agricultural occupations. The plant grows better in 
cultivated ground, and it is a fact worth recording that it grows best of 
all in situations particularly suited to the development of 8. tuberosum. 
In its finest condition the plant spreads over the ground in mats three 
feet or more across the branches, usually rooting all along the portions 
touching the earth, and bearing many pale blue to purplish flowers, sim- 
ilar in general appearance to those of 8. tuberosum, but much smaller. 
_ Where the plant is found on the wild prairies it is often low but nearly 
erect, sending out short lateral ascending branches, which bear small, 
pale, often yellowish, less conspicuous flowers, and the subsequent ber- 
ries are usually a little smaller and less numerous than in the field form. 
One day during August, passing through a field of potatoes, the owner 
of which, who was with me, and evidently an intelligent. man, pointing 
toa heavy musky-smelling mat of S. triflorum, asked the name of those 
r 
species.—F. W. ANDERSON, Great Falls, Montana. : 
_ Coptis, section Chrysocoptis.— Any one collecting in Idaho (say 00 *™ 
Pend Oreille river, or on the Lolo trail above Clear Water) in the springs 
should look out for Coptis occidentalis, the flowers of which are a desié 
eratum. In Wyeth’s four specimens they are undeveloped, and Ti f 
can be made of Nuttall’s figure in this respect. Geyer’s specimens “ 
going out of flower; but I have found withered remains of a sepal ani will 
petal. When good flowers are obtained the three following species | 
propably be confirmed : a 
C. occrDENTALIS Torr. and Gray. Leaves simply trifoliolate: lea! 
long-petiolulate (2 or 3 inches long at maturity, with terminal , ial 
1-1} inches long, and lateral ones hardly half shorter), of roundish out 
line, 3-lobed to middle; the lobes obtuse, slightly 3-cleft or incised: # 
_ obtusely dentate : petals shorter than sepals, subulate from & subsessil 
