18 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JULY — 
last includes only R. Woodsii. Certainly the form of the sepals 
is extremely important in distinguishing species and even sec- ¢ 
tions, but it is necessary that that form be normal and constant. 
Now in the section CinNAMOME# the sepals are normally entire, 
and it is only exceptionally that they produce toward the sum- 
mit small entire and erect appendages. The difference is great — 
between these sepals exceptionally appendaged and those norm- — 
ally producing lateral appendages from the base. It should be * 
mentioned that the exceptional appearance of lateral append-— 
ages is not peculiar to R. Woodsii, but may occur in almost all of a 
other American CINNAMOME. , | 
It follows, therefore, that the most distinctive character used — 
by Watson to sustain the autonomy of R. Woodsii has no value, — 
or at least a very secondary value. What other characters, 
therefore, can separate this species from its neighbors? I have 7 
not been able to discover them. In 1876 I expressed the opin- 
ion that R. Woodsii was only a variety of R. dblanda. Today I 
would not dare to be so positive, and would reserve my judg- 
ment concerning this form. New researches are necessary either 
to merge it with another species or to establish it as distinct. 
The original description of R. Woodsii was corrected by 
Lindley himself in the Botanical Register 12, which contains 4 
beautiful figure of it ( pl. 976). This figure, drawn from the cul- 
tivated plant, of which I have specimens, has glabrous leaflets 
oboval and attenuate at base as those of R d/anda, and with 
simple teeth; perfectly entire sepals, although in my specimens 
the exterior ones are sometimes laterally appendaged ; recep” 
tacles sensibly larger than in these same specimens ; and lastly, 
prickles quite regularly paired as well upon the branches as upon 
the floriferous branchlets, while in my specimens they are gen- 
erally scattered and paired only beneath a few leaves terminatin 
the branches. Lindley, in his original description, says the 
prickles are scattered, but become paired toward the “extremi- 
ties.” By “extremities” he doubtless meant the summit of the 
main branches or leaf-bearing branches. In the corrected 
description of the Botanical Register he declares that they 
