THE BOTANY OF THE ROUTE. 57 



E. PANICULATUM, Nutt. (G.) With E. coloratum, but less common; June to August. {E. 

 Itdeum, said to be found there, I never met with.) 



E. LUTEUM, Pursh. ? (G.) Without flowers. (Steilacoom, S.) 



QSxoTHERA BIENNIS, Linn. (T.) Verj' common on every prairie throughout the country. A 

 very large flowered variety grows in meadows at the mouth of the Columbia, with low, spread- 

 ing, slender branches, not more than a foot in length, in habit resembling CE. fruticosa. 



CE. viNOSA, Lindl. (G.) 0. Romanzovii? On the prairies near Vancouver and Steilacoom 

 I collected two quite distinct purple species growing in the same soil, and apparently holding 

 their characters well. The present grew two feet high, slender ; leaves distinctly peduncled, 

 lanceolate, linear, an inch long or more, alternate ; capsule sub -pedunculate, as long as the 

 leaves, very narrow; tube of the calyx half as long as the petals ; flowers an inch in breadth, 

 pale purple, not spotted. The other : 



CE. QUADEIVULNERA, (G.) Dougl. (0. amcena? 0. Lindleyi?) more branching and shorter; 

 leaves sessile, oblong, lanceolate, half as long as in the preceding ; capsule much thicker, 

 shorter, closely sessile, pubescent ; calyx half as long as the dark purple petals, which have a 

 deep red spot at their base. 



Both vary much in size with soil, but seem always to be in company, and to show the same 

 relative distinctions. Neither is found west of the Coast range. The color of the stigma, I 

 think, varies with the time of expansion, and thus several species appear to have been made 

 of these two. My specimens do not agree exactly with the descriptions of either of those they 

 are referred to, but have some characters of the others quoted with them. (Steilacoom, S.) 



CE. VINOSA, Lindl.? (G.) (Steilacoom, S.) 



CE. LEPIDA, Lindl. (G.) (Steilacoom, S.) 



CmcEA ALPiNA, Linn. Not rare in dark, damp woods about Puget Sound ; July. 



Megarkhiza Oregona, Torr. & Gray. (G.) Common in the western portions of the Territory. 

 On the dry prairies about Puget Sound it forms bushy tufts, two feet high and four or more 

 wide, being evidently somewhat stunted. Where the soil is richer, and in the shade, it climbs 

 thirty or forty feet over trees, &c., and has much larger leaves. Though nearly ripe, the ffuit 

 in July is as large as the fist, round, with three or four grooves and scattered, weak, soft 

 prickles. The rind is about \ of an inch thick, and the inside entirely filled by the large seeds ; 

 root sometimes large enough to fill a flour barrel, tough, white, and very bitter. It is said to 

 have strong cathartic properties. That of the Californian plant has been used to make 

 "Stoughton's bitters!" 



RiBES DiVARiCATUM, Dougl. (G.) The most abundant species throughout the forest region, 

 growing on borders of woods, shores, &c. ; flowers in April; color deep purple, sometimes 

 yellowish ; fruit ripe in July, small, but good. 



R. NiVEDM? Lindl. A species grows in the Coast mountains, about the head of the Chehalis, 

 which may be this. I saw the unripe fruit in July, then as large as a musket ball, slightly 

 crisped, and said to be excellent when ripe ; plant shrubby, spiny; leaves small, trifid, and 

 toothed. It is now cultivated by Mr. Durgin in his nursery, by Mr. Gibbs and others. 



R. LACUSTRE, Poir. Whidby's island, in damp woods; rare; April 15; also in the higher parts 

 o^ the mountains southward. 



R. LAXiFLORUM, Pursh. A common species in damp maple groves along the coast ; flowers 

 April 1 ; lurid purple, smell unpleasant ; fruit nauseous, small. 



8t 



