^ 91 



/ 



/ 



Ponthieva Brittonae is very closely allied to P. racemosa 

 from which it differs chiefly in its smaller flowers, slenderer 

 raceme, and in its differently formed petals. 



Bahamas, New Providence: Maidenhead Coppice, February 

 7, 1905, E. G. Britton (no. 3297). Type in Hb. New York 

 Botanical Garden ; Co-type in Hb. Ames. 

 -^;:_ Oakes Ames 



Answers to the Wisconsin Riddle. — In Torreya for Feb- 

 ruary, 19 10, Mr. S. B. Parish asks for information as to certain 

 plants referred to by Father Dablon in the Jesuit Relations as 

 occurring on the Fox river in Wisconsin. Of course I cannot 

 answer his query definitely but I suggest that the " kind of lime 

 resembling that of France but having no bitter taste, not even in 

 its rind" and which " slightly resembles the fern" may be the 

 fruit of Podophyllum peltaiuin L. The shape and color of the 

 fruit might suggest the lime, and the plant a remote resemblance 

 to the brake. The identity of the second plant is more doubtful 

 as there are so many "snake-roots'.', but Polygala Senega L., 

 occurred to me in that connection. 



J. J. Davis 

 Racine, Wisconsin 



Dr. Roland M. Harper, referring to the "lime" mentioned in 

 the February Torreya says : " I read Mr. Parish's ' Wisconsin 

 riddle' with considerable interest, for there -are a good many 

 analogous cases in the southeastern states in the writings of 

 Bartram and other early travelers. Although I have never been 

 within several hundred miles of Wisconsin, I think I can suggest 

 an answer to the first part of the riddle. There are said to be 

 some species of Astragalus with fleshy (perhaps edible ?) fruit out 

 that way, and as the leaves in that genus are pinnate a compari- 

 son with a fern would not be very far-fetched." With reference to 

 Podophyllum Dr. Harper says : '^Podophyllum would be a pretty 

 good guess for that Wisconsin plant, but for the fact that in the 

 East it is a typical shade plant, and I could hardly think of it as 

 growing on a prairie. But of course it may behave differently in 

 the West, for all I know." 



