54 Contributions from the Gray Herbarium 
nation regularly takes place.” This could never happen in the 
Japanese plant because the stigma (as already indicated) is always 
raised above the anthers, thus necessitating cross-pollination. All 
this accords with Knuth’s conclusion (1. c. 115), constructed from 
the observations of many students, that borraginaceous genera 
with conspicuous flowers ‘ receive such a large number of visits 
that automatic self-pollination ” is excluded. On the other hand, 
the small scantily nectar-secreting flowers are very rarely visited 
by insects and almost always pollinate themselves.” And Knuth 
lists no visitors to M. maritima although Ekstam and other stu- 
dents of the subject have observed the plants in the field. In all 
probability M. asiatica, so evidently adapted to cross-pollination is 
visited by insects, and possibly by one or more species with a co- 
ordinating range, an interesting point for future observers to de- 
termine. Finally, the plant of the Far East in general has more 
rounded leaves, larger fruiting calyx and more commonly nodding 
pedicels. The pedicels are often even somewhat contorted in age. 
Thus this form of the Orient seems to be a species technically and 
geographically removed from M. maritima of northeastern Siberia, 
northern Europe and northern America. 
LITHOSPERMUM RUDERALE Dougl. ex Lehm. Pug. 2, 28 (1830). 
L. pilosum Nutt. Journ. Acad. Phil. vii. 48 (1834). L. ‘lanceolatum 
Rydb. Mem. N. Y. Bot. Gard. i. 333 (1900). L. ruderale Dougl., 
var. lanceolatum (Rydb.) A. Nels. Bot. Gaz. lii. 272 (1911). 
This plant varies somewhat in the shape of the leaves (linear- 
lanceolate to lanceolate), the degree of hispidity, especially on the 
stem, and the size of the nutlets, which may be more or less dis- 
tinctly bordered at the base with a spreading flange. The original 
description (based on material in flower) calls for linear leaves and 
hirsute stem; and Rydberg segregated his L. lanceolatum primarily 
on its lanceolate leaves while Nuttall (1. c. 44) distinguished his 
L. Torreyt on its merely strigose stem. Rydberg also credits his 
species with having “ smaller flowers, larger nutlets and less his- 
pidity.”” Examination of much material must convince one that 
Piper’s reduction of L. lanceolatum, Contrib. U. 8. Nat. Herb. x1. 
486 (1906), was justifiable, because the variations noted by Ryd- 
berg are seen to be present in every degree, and, as suggested by 
Aven Nelson (1. c.) are obviously largely the result of environment 
and therefore of an individual rather than of a specific nature. 
