903 
latter as P. pruinosa. The whitish pubescence often found on the 
latter looks at a distance somewhat like mealiness, which, perhaps 
made Linnaeus give it the characters “ divaricationibus farinaceo- 
germinantibus.” It sometimes has yellow anthers, which is given 
asa character by Linnaeus. The view taken here is practically 
that held by Nees,* although I think that Z. pruinosa deserves 
specific rank. Dunal, as far as I can judge, confuses the two, as 
his description of P, pubescens fits rather that of P. pubescens f. 
Nees, t which, according to Nees, is the same as P. pruinosa L. 
Yet he cites under it as a synonym P. pubescens a Nees (P. 
pubescens L.), He describes a species under the name P. /ursuta,t 
and as varieties of this he places P. pubescens $. Nees, (P. pruinosa 
LA and P. Barbadensis Jacq.,§ but his description corresponds with 
that of P. pubescens a. Nees. It is evident that Dunal has con- 
fused P. pubescens L. and P. hirsuta Mart. & Gal, | a Mexican spe- 
cies not found at all within the United States. The characters by 
which it differs from P. pubescens are given in Walp. Rep. 6: 574, 
iz., the long setaceously acuminate calyx-lobes. 
What makes me think still more that P. 4irsuta Dunal is the 
true P. pubescens L. is that it is the species dispersed throughout 
the warmer regions of the world, while P pubescens Dunal is, as far 
as I know, restricted to North America. The locality given by 
Linnaeus for P. pubescens is “India utraque," and for P. pruinosa, 
“ America.” 
Another species found within the United States and often con- 
fused with the two preceding is one recently collected in Mis- 
souri, Kansas, etc. It differs in the shorter calyx lobes. Dr. 
Britton has named it P. minima L, and regards it as introduced. 
Very likely the identification is right, or rather it is the plant 
that has been known by this name. At least it is nearly related to 
it. The description of P. minima L., however, does not fit it at 
all. The characters given, * Physalis ramosissima pedunculis fruc- 
tiferis folio longioribus," could only be applied to o one > American 
is Linnaea, 6 6: : 467-8. Bae 
t Linnaea, 6: 467 1831. 
1781. 
pe & Gall. in Bull Brux. 12: Part 1. 132. 1845. 
TL. Sp. PL 183. 17553. 
