22 B Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 



This same classification we find in Fries' Summa vegetabilium Scand- 

 Stockholm (1846), with two species: W. apetala (L.) and W. affinis (J. Vahl); 

 a diagnosis of the genus is given in this work (pp. 150-156): "Capsula unilopu- 

 laris, dentibus 10 per paria connatis dehigcens, carpophoro stipitato. Semina 

 angulosa, limbo (in nostris saltim) tumido corrugato marginata. Reliqua 

 Lychnidis (Melandryi) diversae capsulae dentibus simplicibus et aequaliter 

 distantibus. Quoad capsulam differt ut Malachium a Stellaria; quoad semina 

 ut Lepigonum ab Alsine. Omnes species arcticae, micranthae, caulibus simpli- 

 cibus." 



That Fries also considered Melandrium triflorum (R. Br.) \^ahl to belong 

 to the genus may be seen from p. 155 (I.e.) where he writes: "Proxima est W. 

 triflorae Vahl seminum margine vix limbato diversae." While the majority of 

 Scandinavian authors, Blytt, Hartman, Kjellman, Lindman, etc. have accepted 

 Wahlbergella as a genus, Lange ' placed the species under Melandrium and 

 recently Warming ^ follows the disposition of Lange. 



Still another classification is proposed by Robinson ^ placing Wahlbergella 

 as a member of Lychnis Tourn. sectio Eulychnis Fenzl (extended), and this 

 author is certainly correct when stating: "Examination of a number of specimens 

 seems to show that in American species the characters of partial septation of 

 the capsule, division of the valves, inflation of the calyx, are very variable, and 

 do not lead either individually or in combination to more definite or satisfactory 

 results." As long as the genus Wahlbergella was known only to consist of the 

 two species mentioned above, W. apetala and affinis, it was quite natural, but 

 when increased with Lychnis triflora B. Br. and furthermore with L. Taylorae 

 Robins., L. montana Wats., L. Kingii Wats., andL. nesophila nob., the generic 

 distinction vanishes. On the other hand, these species may naturallj' represent 

 a section of their own: the arctic alpine Wahlbergella; it is interesting to notice 

 that a member of the section, L. apetala L. var. gracilis has been recorded from 

 the alpine region of western Tibet, alt. 15-17,000 feet. 



Th. M. Fries has described a variety arctica from Spitzbergen ^ the diagnosis 

 of which reads as follows: "pedunculis dense cinerascente, subviolaceo-glanduloso- 

 villosis; calyce subgloboso-inflato, magis patente glanduloso, vulgo apice sang- 

 uineo-violaceo, venis subnigricantibus longitudinaliter striato; petalis sub 

 anthesi exsertis, violaceis (1. pallidis)." This variety was found on the coast of 

 Wollaston land, as stated above. By the petals being very distinctly exserted 

 this variety somewhat resembles L. nesophila nob. * from Mansfield island, 

 Hudson bay, but differs with respect to the calyx being more inflated and also 

 by the shape of the petals. Having studied various species of the sectionTFa/iZ- 

 bergella in Greenland and Nova Zembla, and having examined numerous speci- 

 mens from arctic Siberia and North America, I feel confident that L. nesophila 

 is a distinct species. The diagnosis reads: 



"Of the section: Wahlbergella; perennial, dwarfy, densely caespitose with 

 a strong main root and woody branches; leaves crowded at the base of the 

 flowering stems, linear-lanceolate, glabrous except the margins, which are hairy 

 from slender, glandular hairs; stems prostrate, ascending, glandular hairy; 

 flowers solitary, nodding; calyx cylindric, glandular hairy especially along the 

 dark coloured nerves, five-toothed, the teeth ovate, obtuse; petals emarginate, 

 serrate along the margins, protruding through the calyx, with distinct append- 

 ages, colour in dried specimens purplish; stamens ten, the anthers well developed; 

 ovary rudimentary with frequently three to four styles." 



With regard to the floral structure of Wahlbergella Lindman ^ has described 

 the flower of W. apetala (L.) Fr. in his interesting and highly instructive: Contri- 



1 Conspectus Florae Groenl. 



2 Caryophyllaceae. Medd. cm Gri^nland XXXVII. Ki^benhavn, 1920. 



3 Synopt. Flora of North America. New York, Cambridge, 1895-97, p. 224. 



* Tillagg till Spetsbergens Fanerogamflora. (Ofvers. K. Vet. Akad. Forhdlgr. Stockholm, 1869 

 No. 22.) 



» Fedde's Repert. III. 1907, p. 338. 



' Bihang. K. Svenaka Vet. Akad. Hdlgr., Vol. 12. Stockholm, 1887. 



