68 Muhlenbergia, Volume o 



the most accurate information. It contains an account of the 

 then known species of the world, seventy-six in number, with 

 seven ''species inquirendae." Of this number forty-three were 

 from North America north of Mexico. 



Watson's "Revision of the extra-tropical North American 

 Species of the Genus Lupinus," was published in Proc. Am. 

 Acad. 8: 517-548. 1873. He recognized fifty-six species, eleven 

 of which were described by himself in that paper. 



During the past decade especially, the number of described 

 species has wonderfully increased, now numbering 230 north of 

 Mexico. A few of these may have to be put into synonymy, 

 but the most of them will undoubtedly survive, notwithstanding 

 the fact that they have for the most part been described by per- 

 sons who have very little field knowledge of the genus. To 

 those who consider the above statement the wild and unbridled 

 fancy of a "species maker," I would recommend a careful studv 

 of that conservative work, Piper's Flora of Washington, wherein 

 five of the twenty-eight recognized species arc described as new. 



The genus is universally considered a very difficult one, 

 and an intelligible treatment of it an almost hopeless task. 

 This may well be true if the usual methods are pursued, but if 

 intelligently studied in the field, in connection with the herbar- 

 ium types, and a better system of classification followed, there 

 is no reason why the effort should not be a success. 



It was my good fortune to be able to spend six years in 

 active field work in California, which state alone contains nearly 

 half of the known species, and during that time I made it a 

 point to especially study this genus in the field. During the 

 past two years the Nevadan species have been similarly studied, 

 and this spring it was my privilege to spend nearly a month 

 visiting places along the Columbia river, re-collecting species at 

 1 kmglas' t\ pe localities. 



In these papers, .it least foi the present, 1 shall not attempt 

 to lollow anj regular order of procedure, Imt will merely de- 

 scribe new plants as they come to hand, and print notes of in- 

 terest concei ning old species 



