1896] BRIEFER ARTICLES 491 
Collected in rocky soil near Wenatchee, Kittitas county, July 7, 
1896. Kirk Whited no. 131. 
This species is near P. ovatus Dougl. and P. pruinosus Dougl., but 
is easily distinguished by its peculiar radical leaves, viscid pubescence 
and rather larger flowers. 
PINGUICULA vuLGARIS L. is apparently not a rare plant in the 
mountains of Washington. We have it from three stations in the Cas- 
cades and it occurs plentifully in the Olympics. All the specimens 
belong to the form macroceras. 
EMPETRUM NIGRUM L. forms great mats on wet rocks at altitudes 
of 7000 to 8500* on Mt. Rainier. It has not hitherto been reported 
from south of Alaska. 
Hippuris MONTANA Ledeb. This Alaskan plant was collected 
several years since by Macoun in the Selkirk mountains, B. C. It also 
occurs in abundance in the Olympic mountains, at sooo" altitude, and 
on Mt. Rainier at from 4000 to 5000" altitude. Its occurrence on this 
peak at so low an altitude indicates that it extends much farther south 
in the Cascade range. In all probability it has been overlooked or 
mistaken for a moss, as it resembles in no small degree a sterile Poly- 
trichum.— C. V. Pirer, Agricultural College, Pullman, Wash. 
ANOTHER “COMPASS” PLANT. 
SEVERAL years ago I noticed the fact that Wyethia amplexicaults was 
a“compass”’ plant, and its peculiarities are marked enough to deserve 
description. The radical leaves of this plant are from twelve to eight- 
fen inches in length, lance-oblong, perfectly glabrous and minutely 
resiniferous. Usually they number from six to ten, and if the plant i 
shaded are widely spreading. However, when the plant is growing In 
open situations the whole blade may be perfectly erect and turned so 
as to face east and west. More commonly only the terminal portion 
of the blade is affected, which in this case 1s sharply twisted to bring it 
into position. 
The stem of Wyethia is from one to two feet high and bears from 
three to five leaves which are shorter and broader than the radical, and 
Sessile by a clasping base. Owing to their more favorable position, 
these cauline leaves exhibit their peculiarity well. They are always 
rigidly erect and so twisted at base that any leaf usually faces the leaf 
immediately above it and the one immediately below it; in other 
