2,2 Muhlenbergia, Volume 6 



As stated under L. scllnlus, that species is probably iden- 

 tical with certain specimens mentioned under L. Torreyi, and 

 the latter name may have to be adopted. Both are given as 

 synonyms of L. confer tus in Watson's Bibliographical Index. 

 Knowing that L. confer tus is common about Washoe Lake, I 

 should infer that Torrey's plant from that place, which is first 

 mentioned, and theoretically should be the type of L. Torreyi 

 is truly L. confertus. But Watson's description, such as it is, 

 in the Botany of the King Report, rather indicates a plant sim- 

 ilar to L. sellulus, and Miss Eastwood says in a recent letter 

 that the specimens in the Gray Herbarium "point that way." 



The following specimens of L. confertus from Nevada have 

 been examined: 



Ormsby county: Kings canyon, C. F Baker 1 1 to. 



Washoe county: About W 7 ashoe Lake, C. F Baker 1171; 

 Franktown, Heller 9772, 0778; Verdi, Kennedy 796; near Reno, 

 Heizer, July 31, 1901. 



<^ 



What is a "Subspf:cies?" 



An Illinois botanist, some years ago, finding some differ- 

 ences in pubescence and intranodal separation among the sun- 

 flowers referred to Helianthus occidentalism considered these of 

 sufficient importance to require the segregation of a part under 

 the name H. illinoensis. Quite recently another student, by 

 careful observation, was able to demonstrate that this segregate 

 was simply a condition, due mainly to a hydrodynamic cause. 

 He "discovered that plants which in spring and early summer 

 were H. illinoensis, were at the time of blooming and fruiting 

 simply //. oecidentalis" 



Most botanists, having established this fact, would have 

 contented thenfoelves with reducing the segregate to synonymy, 

 and noting under the species its variations under ceitain condi- 

 tions. In the present case, however, the investigator "proposes 

 that these plants should bear the name Helianthus occide //talis 

 illinoensis comb, nov." It would be more in accordance with 

 the fact to propose that they should bear that name in "the 



