146 BOTANICAL GAZETTE . [august 



? 



relate themselves to this one great fact of reproduction. To illus- 

 trate: in this Pentstemon group the characters enumerated above 

 may well stand in the order given, for is it not probable that those 

 points of structure concerned with insect visitation come true 

 generation after generation, while such as viscosity, pubescence, 

 and color may change with every change of environment : 



How close are the three species enumerated may be seen in the 

 following facts: all have the sterile filament and the lower lip of 

 the corolla more or less bearded; all have the flowers in verticils 

 (two or more) ; all have calyx lobes more or less scarious-margined 

 and mostly more or less lacerate. If one undertakes to state cate- 

 gorically their differences, about all one can say even of supposedly 

 typical material is: 



1. P. attenuatus. — Flowers yellow, rather large (20 mm. or more) ; 

 inflorescence glandular and pubescent. 



2. P. confertus. — Flowers yellow but small (less than 20 mm. 

 long) ; inflorescence pubescent or puberulent but not glandular. 



3. P. procerus. — Flowers not yellow (usually blue-purple), 

 small (less than 20 mm. long) ; inflorescence neither pubescent nor 

 glandular. 



Of the three species, no. 2 seems most readily maintained as a 

 pure and fixed species. The scores of variants may rather satis- 

 factorily be grouped under 1 and 3. This being true, why not let 

 the large-flowered forms, having the other floral characters in 

 harmony, constitute the variety? 



P. attenuatus varians, n. var., without reference to color or the 

 presence or absence of pubescence or glandulosity. 



Similarly let the small-flowered variants, having the other 

 floral characters of P. procerus, become P. procerus aberrans, 

 n. comb. 



This varietal name was used by M. E. Jones as P. confertus aberrans, but 

 the specimens to which the name was applied are clearly of the P. procerus 

 group (see Proc. Cal. Acad. 2:5-715). 



I am fully aware that this disposition of this troublesome group means the 

 wrecking of several pseudo-species, among which may be named P. micranthus 

 Nutt., P. Owenii and P. Rydbergii A. Nels., P. pseudo procerus Rydb., and a 

 score (more or less) of Dr. Greene's species (see vol. I of Leaflets). 



As excellent examples of P. attenuatus Parians, I name Macbride's no. 974? 



