Gbuus anotites. 97 



A Proposed New Oenus, Anotites. 



Never since thirty-five years ago, when I first began to learn 

 the flora of the Rocky Mountains, was I reconciled to the doc- 

 trine that what was then, and is still called Silene Menziesii, is 

 truly of that genus. There is no member or group of Silene 

 with which it comes at all near being at accord, whether viewed 

 as to its habit or characters; and it would be a Stellaria — or 

 Alsine — but for the fact that its capsule is five-toothed rather 

 than three-valved ; and that one character of the capsule alone 

 seems to have determined its place among the Silenes in the 

 book in which it was published ; the author at the same time 

 conceding that it was not well in place as a member of that 

 genus. Hooker, as it seems, virtually admitted it to be sui gen- 

 eris when, being about to publish it as tentatively a Silene, he 

 says : "This species is totally unlike any other with which I am 

 acquainted, somewhat resembling a slender state of Saponaria 

 ocymoides; nor indeed does it accord with any of the divisional 

 characters given by Dr. Candolle " ( Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. i. 91 ). 



As an excellent generic type, its characteristics may be brief- 

 ly indicated as follows: 



Anotites. Perennial herbs of low stature growing singly in 

 tufts, or forming extensive colonies by means of connected long 

 horizontal rootstocks. Leafy stems usually freely dichotomous, 

 the flowers scattered or else in leafy- bracted cymes ; the whole 

 habit, inflorescence, and small white flowers those Alsine (or Stel- 

 laria). Petals bifid, without appendages. Capsule subcrusta- 

 ceous, equalling the calyx, 5-toothed. Seeds small, numerous. 



By modes of growth, peculiarities of inflorescence, forms of 

 foliage, characters of pubescence, etc., a number of species 

 bespeak recognition, each from its own geographic and climatic 

 province within a vastly extensive region — almost the whole of 

 far-western North America. 



Lbaflbts, Vol. i. pp. 97-112, Oct. 8, 19(i5. 



