113 



Mountains is a plant with narrow leaflets, different from anything 

 in the Pacific Northwest. Rydherg maintained three species in 

 this group (Fl. Rocky Mts. 456, 1917), T. niontana, T. ovata, and 

 T. xylorrJdsa (= T. xylorhiza) . When Rydberg made the specific 

 combination, T. ovata (Torrey Bot. Club, Bull. 40:43, 1913), 

 besides the evident broader leaflets and stipules, separating ovata 

 from uwutana, he alleged that it differed also in having its leaves 

 spreading, the lower leaves (^ leaflets) very oblique, and in its 

 elongate, lax raceme. It was said to differer from T. xylorhiza in 

 its lax inflorescence and strictly straight pods. These characters 

 have been checked, and the writer finds no differences in the pos- 

 ture of the leaves, the obliqueness of the lower leaflets, the length 

 and laxity of the inflorescence, and the straightness of the pods. 

 Frankly, these alleged characters seem imaginary. Later, Rydberg 

 (Fl. Rocky Mts. 456-457, 1917) described differences in the length 

 of the flowers. The writer finds no such differences. 



Larisey (p. 247) keys T. ovata as having leaflets obovate to 

 broadly elliptic, and T. montana as having leaflets linear. Thus 

 stated, the characters are strongly contrasting. Checking these 

 against the specimens, it is obvious that ovata has the leaflets very 

 much as described, that is from elliptic to oblanceolate or obovate. 

 On the other hand, montana has the leaflets from narrowly elliptic 

 to narrowly oblanceolate. In the original description Nuttall ex 

 Torrey and Gray said "leaflets lanceolate, narrowed at the base," 

 which is exactly our modern term oblanceolate. In her descrip- 

 tion (p. 253) Larisey says "leaflets linear to linear-lanceolate," 

 while in the key (p. 247) she distinguishes the plant solely by 

 "Leaflets linear." Quibbling over the exact meaning and applica- 

 tion of descriptive morphological terms is usually unprofitable, 

 but if any such term is clearly defined and identical in use, it is 

 the term linear. The illustrations are similar and the definitions of 

 it are exact equivalents in Lindley's Introduction to Botany and 

 in Gray's Lessons in Botany. Linear is a narrow shape w-ith the 

 sides parallel. Neither the old Nuttall type specimen nor any of 

 the abundant recent collections show any linear leaflets. This point 

 has been discussed in detail, because any student who cannot verify 

 the type specimens will be misled by Larisey's key. 



Now, consider the taxonomic status of T. ovata. As defined and 

 characterized by its broader leaflets and stipules, it seems at first 



