182 



It appears that the usual condition in the case of Erythronium 

 americanum is for the stamens to be of two distinct lengths and 

 that a mutation has occurred in a number of our texts rather 

 than in nature. 



The same characteristic holds true for Erythronium albidum 

 and for the two Pacific coast species, E. citrinum and E. gigan- 

 teum. On the other hand it appears, as well as can be ascer- 

 tained from preserved herbarium material, that E. hendersoni, 

 collected in Oregon, E. obtusaium, collected in Montana and 

 Idaho, and E. parviflorum, collected in Utah, Wyoming, Nevada 

 and Colorado, possess stamens all of equal length. 



In this case the value of a photograph over an artist's sketch 

 for scientific purposes seems evident. A small amount of 

 "poetic licence" is almost sure to creep in somewhere to spoil 

 the scientific accuracy of the drawing unless a careful checking 

 up system is followed. The continued propagation of an error 

 is also an unfortunate incident. Such a simple fact in regard to 

 one of our very common spring flowers, it seems, should have been 

 recognized before. It is too often true that the common things 

 about us are deemed beneath our attention. 



That our common eastern species should differ from at least 

 three western species in the form of their stamens seems inter- 

 esting as well as the fact that two Pacific coast forms should 

 be similar. The remaining North American species should be 

 checked over for the stamen characters and a comparison made 

 from various localities. 

 Mount Vernon, N. Y. 



WILD FLOWER PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF 

 AMERICA 



Public parks as Preservers of Native Plants* 



Mr. Jensen has been advocating, for a number of years, the use 



of native plants for ornamental planting, not only for the purpose 



of education and pleasure, but for the sake of the native fruits 



and their value as food for the birds that are so helpful in con- 



* By L. P. Jensen, Proc. 17th Annual Convention of the American Assoc, of 

 Park Supts., San Francisco, Cal., 1915. 



