28 B Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 



leaf-outline of this form agrees with that of the typical plant respectively from 

 Europe and North America as well as from Siberia, the variety sibirica forma 

 radicans. Caltha palustris may thus be considered a polymorphous species 

 distributed over an area of quite considerable extent, and representing several 

 analogous forms characterized by the structure of the foliar organs rather than 

 by the floral. 



Aconitum delphinifoliutn DC. 



The tallest specimen measures a height of 25 cm. and bears several lateral 

 racemes, shorter than the terminal one. With respect to the vegetative repro- 

 duction there is no rhizome, and the aerial shoot is borne upon a thick but short 

 tap-root with many lateral roots of considerable length and relatively thick. 

 When the winter commences a bud is developed in the axil of one of the lower- 

 most leaves, and from the base of this bud a large tap-root will develop during 

 the winter. This manner of reproduction resembles that of A. uncinatum L. 

 which I have described in Merck's Report,^ but differs from this by the bud 

 remaining sessile and not being removed from the leaf-axil by means of the 

 stolon-like stem so very plainly visible in A. uncinatum. 



Anemone parviflora Michx. 



Copious material was collected, and all the specimens represent the variety 

 grandijlora Ulbrich.^ It belongs to the section Anemonanthea DC. of which 

 several species have been found on this continent, for instance: A. trifolia L., 

 known also from Europe and Siberia, A. quinquefolia L., A. oregana Gr., A. 

 decapetala Ard. et cet. In Europe the section is more frequent; it is represented 

 by A. nemorosa L., A. sylvestris L., A. baldensis L., A. palmata L. et cet. 



The section is according to De Candolle ^ defined as follows: "Car. Carpella 

 ovoidea stylo uncinata hirsutissima villosa aut subglabra. Pedicelli in involucre 

 solitarii aut rarissime bini umbellati, semper 1-flori nudi; sepala 5-15." 



Flowering specimens are generally low, measuring only from 4 to 9 cm. in 

 height, while fruiting specimens may reach the height of about 25 cm. The 

 plant is perennial and has a horizontally creeping rhizome with slender stolons 

 bearing tubular, membranaceous leaves; secondary roots are developed freely 

 from the older part of the rhizome and beneath the aerial shoots. These shoots 

 are erect with a subterranean ascending stem of the same structure as the 

 rhizome, and when reaching the surface some green leaves become developed, 

 which remain fresh during the first winter. The flower does not appear until 

 the succeeding spring and by that time the leaves have withered. The shoots 

 thus require two seasons to attain the flowering stage but they may persist for 

 several years, producing alternately leaves and flowers. 



As stated above, aU the specimens from the Canadian arctic expedition 

 represent the variety grandijlora, and in these the diameter of the flower (dried) 

 measured about 3 cm.; this variety occurs also in Alaska and in northern Labra- 

 dor. The typical plant from Churchill, Hudson bay, and from Jasper park, 

 Alberta, is a taller plant but the flower is small, the diameter not exceeding 

 1-7 cm. 



A. Richardsonii Hook. 



This species belongs to the same section but it is of a much more slender 

 habit than the preceding one. The rhizome is horizontally creeping and repre- 

 sents a monopodium until the first flowering stem develops. The internodes 

 are stretched, slender, averaging in length from 3 to 7 cm.; one or two secondary 



1 March, 1907. 



2 A. Engler: Bot. Jahrb. Vol. 37. Leipzig, 1906, p. 172. 



' Regni vegetabilis systema naturale. Vol. I. Paris, 1818, p. 196. 



