124 The Botanical Gazette. [April 
BRIEFER ARTICLES. 
Theidentity of Asclepias stenophylla and Acerates anriculata.— The 
Synoptical Flora pertinently suggests the close relationship of these 
two supposed species. Under Acerates auriculata it is even stated 
that “unless the characters [i. e. of the two genera] are noted, it is — 
very likely to be confounded with Asclepias stenophylla.” Even 50; 
for the two plants look to the naked ‘eye exactly alike. 
There was, in Mr. M. A. Carleton’s collection of last season in In- 
dian Territory, a plant, no. 248, which is a good Asclepias st phyll 
having all the characters of Dr. Gray’s subgenus NoTHacerates. The 
hoods, however, on comparison with those from herbarium specimens, 
were found to be longer, more compressed and more deeply notched 
on the back than usual, and the asclepiadaceous horn, reaching only 
a little above the sinus of the hood, was not at once found. This and 
the cautions in the Synoptical Flora led me to examine closely nto 
the structure of anthers and hoods of all the specimens in the Na- 
tional Herbarium standing under the two above names, with the fol- 
lowing result. 
First, Aclepias stenophylla Gray is represented by three correctly 
named specimens in flower: one from Dorchester, Mo., collected by 
J. W. Blankinship; the second from Miami Co., Kansas, collected 
by Dr. J. H. Oyster; the third from Huachuca Mts., S. Arizona, col- 
lected by J.G. Lemmon. Mr. Carleton’s no. 248 makes the fourth 
specimen. Nos. 1 and 2 agree with Carleton’s plant in the compressed 
hoods and notched anther wings, but both have longer horns than the 
Indian Territory plant, while Lemmon’s plant has both the notches 
in the anther wings and the sinus in the back of the hood very slight 
and the horn shorter. : : 
n Atl 
Mext- 
can Boundary Survey under Maj. Emory; (3) Wright’s no. 50 
Wright’s no. 1687. Of these, Palmer’s plant has the anthers ¢¢ 
notched as in Asclepias stenophylla. The crest in the hood oo 
ent as in the first species, and reaches nearly to the sinus, but Se 
surmounted by any horn. In no. 2 there is still a trace of @ ai 
the anther wing. The crest in the hood is present, reaching vet ae 
than half its length. Nos. 3 and 4 have the crest likewise pree™ - 
the anther wings are merely rounded. They are however fully asm 
near the base as near the top, if not wider. 
From these observations, and especially when we take int 
eration the long acknowledged fact that these two supposed 
te) consid 
species of : 
