1896 | ROSAS AMERICANA: i 
A] 
long time by the ignorance concerning the existence of hybrids, 
whose intermediate and vacillating characters often render 
obscure those of genuine types. At present, however, since the 
frequent occurrence of hybrids has been demonstrated and the 
bastard products partly classified, the distinction of species has 
become more precise and rigorous. It is probably true that 
American roses do not escape hybridization any more than the 
European and Asiatic species, and the American botanists must 
face the duty of discovering the hybrids of their country, for 
their first recognition ordinarily cannot be made with certainty 
except in the field. They will have to examine with much atten- 
tion the more or less intermediate forms which occur where 
several species grow in company. Perhaps they will discover 
hybrids between R. pisocarpa and R. Nutkana, between R. pisocarpa 
and R. gymnocarpa, between R. blanda and RK. acicularis, etc. M. 
Th. A. Brutsin has described a R. neglecta, which he considers 
R. lucida x blanda’ Up to the present, in such herbarium 
material as I have studied, I have recognized but one form 
which has seemed to me a hybrid, a form which seems to be 
R. Carolina X humilis. 
I herewith close this preamble, which may appear long, but 
which I thought indispensable to enable my American confréres 
to understand thoroughly my way of looking upon species of 
the genus Kosa. 
BRUSSELS, March 5, 1896. 
Rosa Nourxana Presl. 
I begin my remarks with this species because it has just been 
the object of a new specific creation under the name of R. 
Macdougali Holzinger.? The description of this supposed new 
species given by Mr. Holzinger is entirely insufficient, and does 
not permit even the section to be recognized. Two beautiful 
specimens that Mr. Coville has kindly sent me® have enabled 
6 Vergleichende Flora Wisconsin in Verhand. d. K. K. Zool,-bot. Gesell. in Wien 
26: 246. 1877. 
7 BOTANICAL GAZETTE 21: 36. 1896. 
®Mr. Coville has also sent to me specimens of 2. d/anda, R. Fendleri, R. Cali- 
