42 Contributions from the Gray Herbarium 
what is more important, in the attachment of the nutlets. In that 
genus the nutlets are affixed by the ventral groove for at least one 
third or even their entire length to an elevated gynobase. The 
groove may be closed or open, but it is in every sense of the word, 
a groove. In Amblynotopsis the ventral face is sharply carinate 
since the nutlets are attached by an infra-medial or basal scar to 
a low gynobase, quite asin Allocarya. However, in the latter genus, 
the nutlets are dorsally carinate, the pedicels are turbinate-thick- 
ened and the habit (Allocarya is composed of low speading herbs) 
is totally different. In Plabiobothrys (the other, but more remote, 
ally), the nutlets are not only carinate but also rugose and their 
attachment is more nearly medial. The herbage imparts a violet 
stain to paper and the species are at variance in habit with the group 
we are considering. But the gynobase and the ventral keel of the 
nutlets suggest a close relationship after all, to Amblynotopsis. 
When Dr. Gray revised Krynitzkia in the Proc. Am. Acad. xx. 
264 (1885) he treated the three species of Amblynotopsis then de- 
scribed, together with Allocarya lithocarya Greene and Krynitzkia 
obovata (Ledeb.) Gray, under the subgeneric name Amblynotus, a 
name given sectionally by DeCandolle, for one species of Hritri- 
chium, i. e., EZ. obovatum (Ledeb.) DC. And indeed, it is surprising 
how chiscly this plant simulates the genus Amblynotopsis in all 
fruiting and floral characters. But there the similarity ends. Habit- 
ally it is radically different. Moreover, from a geographical point 
of view, it is extremely improbable that this plant of northern Asia 
is congeneric with its Mexican allies. Although its relationship is 
not entirely obvious, it seems quite possible that some day it must 
be accorded generic rank. Accordingly I have not thought it advis- 
able to take up the sectional name for the American plants but 
have chosen a new name that indicates their apparent relationship 
to the cee — 
laevibus vel solum minute muriculat ket Peery 0: foal between 
San Julian and Ceno Prieto, Sept. 9, 1898, E. W. Nelson, no. 4960 
(Trpr, U.S. Nat. Herb.). 
