2 Muhlenbergia, Volume 8 



collection. It was then noticed, with surprise, that the petals 

 were really yellow, more or less red-veined and margined, not at 

 all "purplish," as I had expected from the book descriptions. 

 This observation led me into a more careful study of the plant, 

 and later, upon examining critically my specimens of 1909, I 

 was much surprised to find that the plumose styles were posi- 

 tively, tho inconspicuously, bent and jointed, much after the 

 manner of Geum proper. As this character would seemingly 

 disqualify my plant as a member of the genus Sieversia^ of 

 authors, I concluded that it was unknown to science, in fact, a 

 worthy connecting link between the Sieversia species and typi- 

 cal Geum. A description was accordingly prepared and included 

 in my notes for a paper then about ready for publication. Hap- 

 pily, however, I learned of Dr. Greene's recent paper (12) on 

 Sieversia segregates in time to prevent the publication of my 

 description and name; and so the matter has rested until the 

 present time. 



Recently, access was had to Greene's paper referred to 

 above, and tho I felt sure that my plant must be accounted for 

 in such an assemblage of described forms, I was unable to make 

 a satisfactory determination. As Dr. Greene made no mention 

 of variations as to the "unjointed" character of the style, and as 

 I had observed decided variations in this respect amongst the 

 plants in the Geum ciliatiim and G. triflorum covers in the her- 

 barium of Cornell University, my interest in the matter was 

 again aroused, and opportunity was sought to investigate the 

 real status of the variations observed. 



Material examined. — Thru the kindness of Professors 

 Whetzel and Rowlee of Cornell University, and of Dr. Rose and 

 the authorities of the U. S. National Mu.seum, there are now 

 before me some 150 specimens of the genus Erythrocoma Greene, 

 130 specimen.s, including 20 type sheets, from the National 

 Herbarium, and some 20 specimens from the herbarium of Cor- 

 nell University. With this material before me, I am able to 

 come to some conclusions which may be of interest to various 

 students of systematic botany, especially as my conclusions are 



