CONTRIBUTION FROM THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN 
HERBARIUM. IX 
NEW PLANTS FROM IDAHO 
AVEN NELSON 
Most of the plants considered in this paper were collected in 
Idaho. Since they were secured during a single season by an 
amateur, a word concerning the collector and the field investigated 
will not seem out of place. Early in 1910 specimens were received 
from J. Francis Macsripe for determination. In the corre- 
spondence that developed it was soon apparent that he was a 
close observer and deeply interested in the flora of his neighbor- 
hood and state. A proposition from him to collect for the Rocky 
Mountain Herbarium led to the discovery that he was a boy just 
out of the Boise High School. An agreement was soon reached 
whereby he was to undertake field work in some part of Idaho. 
To determine the least worked and therefore the most inviting - 
field, appeal was made to the two men who probably know the 
flora of the state better than any others, namely the former pro- 
fessor of botany at the University of Idaho, L. F. HENDERSON, 
and Professor Ext1as Netson of the Experiment Station. These 
Were agreed that southwestern Idaho was practically unexplored, 
that name. Their judgment has been confirmed by the work thus 
far carried out, and further collections in this very interesting field 
will be made in Igit. 
Ertoconum ovatirotium Nutt.—As the collections of this so- 
called “aggregate” species multiply, the probability increases that 
the seemingly quite distinct forms of it represent but one very 
variable species. The type of the species was the comparatively 
small yellow-flowered form. Then Nutra gave us E. purpureum, 
differing in no respect except in color. It has since been shown that 
between the two the specimens show all shades of yellow to white, 
and white to purple. At most then, NuTTatt’s second species 
261] [Botanical Gazette, vol. 52 
