146 AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 



writer has not seen any representatives of these alHes, which are 

 probably R. petiolata Greene or other Minnesota natives. The 

 species here described belongs to central North Dakota, and its 

 only known habitation is 90 miles west of the Red River on the 

 banks of Devil's Lake, where the water basin is narrowed to a 

 channel across which a railroad bridge and a public road have been 

 built. For this reason the place has received its name. Narrows, 

 and hence also is derived the species name of the plant. It was 

 collected by the writer on June 26, 19 13, and on August 12 of the 

 same year, at which later date the leaves had already commenced 

 to attire themselves in their gorgeous, scarlet, autumnal garb. 



Dodecatheon thornense sp. nov. 



Caudex perennis, parvus, radiculis fibrosis validis adiunctis. 

 Scapus erectus, procerus, artus, gracilis, interdum autem robustus, 

 2-6 dm. altus, fistulosus. Folia longitudinis scapi partem quintam 

 usque tertiam attingentia, suberecta, anguste usque late lanceolata, 

 in petiolum longum alatum attenuata, nonnihil succulenta, siccata 

 membranacea, glabra, integra, apice obtusissimo, 10-15 cm. longa, 

 1.5-3 cm. lata. Bracteae late ovatae, acutae. Calyx ad pedicellum 

 versus sensim reductus, lobi triangulari-lanceolati. Umbella floribus 

 10-15 plerumque vestita. Pedicelli longitudine variabili, in flore 

 recurvati, in fructu erecti. Deest in typo corolla. Capsula Crustacea, 

 subcylindrica, acuta, valvis 5 brevibus apice aperta, 0.7-1.2 cm. 

 longa. 



Rootstock perennial, being a small corm with strong fibrous 

 roots attached. Scape erect, tall, narrow and slender, though in 

 some plants quite robust, 2-6 dm. high, hollow. Leaves one-fifth- 

 one-third of the length of the scape, suberect, narrowly — broadly 

 lanceolate, tapering into a long, margined petiole, somewhat 

 fleshy, after drying membranous, glabrous, entire, very obtuse 

 at the apex, 10-15 cm. long, 1.5-3 cm. wide. Bracts broadly ovate, 

 acute. Calyx tapering into the pedicel, lobes triangular-lanceolate. 

 Umbel usually 10-15 flowered. Pedicels of variable length, re- 

 curved in flower, erect in fruit. Corolla not seen for the type 

 locality, but will be described in this journal during the next 

 season. Capsule crustaceous, subcylindrical, pointed, opening 

 through 5 short apical valves, 0.7-1.2 cm. long. 



This species is plainly distinct from its nearest relative D. 

 pauciflorum Greene (a plant distributed from Montana to the 



