62 MADRONO 



Some plants of the genus Chorizanthe collected at Monterey have 

 been brought to my attention. These have been called Chorizanthe 

 pungens Benth. var. nivea Curran, a disposition which the writer 

 accepted in the Flora of California (p. 392). It is now my judg- 

 ment that this type of thing represents a distinct specific unit and 

 should be designated as Chorizanthe nivea Jepson, n. comb. 



The somewhat capituliform clusters are borne in dichotomous 

 cymes on rather short branches in C. nivea, whereas in typical C. 

 pungens the heads are racemosely scattered along elongated branch- 

 es. The calyx of C. nivea is white with yellow tips ; the calyx of C. 

 pungens is white without yellow markings. The alternate involucral 

 lobes of C. nivea have showy white borders; those of C. pungens are 

 narrow, dull-colored and inconspicuous. C. nivea is erect or sub- 

 erect in growth; C. pungens is trailing. Doubtless other points of 

 difference may appear when these plants are better known. 



The above names are published at this time on account of the 

 returning of herbarium specimens of the species under the revised 

 names. — W. L. Jepson. 



Allotropa virgata T. & G., near Lake Tahoe. — Grows similar to 

 Sar codes sanguined, pushing its way up through decomposed bark, 

 needles and soil, late in July, and during the first two weeks in Au- 

 gust, but differing from the Snow Plant in its root formation. The 

 specimens which I am sending taper down until they join thread- 

 like roots. In a radius of fifty feet, beneath a couple of firs (Abies 

 concolor Lindl. & Gord.) I counted twenty-four stalks. The thread- 

 like roots appeared to have formed a network underground and the 

 flower stalks appear to spring from these. 



I have found specimens only on northern exposures, beneath fir 

 at an elevation of 6,700 feet, or thereabout. This year (1916) is the 

 third summer this particular colony has made its appearance. The 

 largest group has eight flower stalks ranging from four to fifteen 

 inches in height. In their natural state the coloring of these plants 

 is exquisite. They are for all the world like a bit of old-fashioned 

 jewelry, garnets and pearls. The stalk striped garnet and white, the 

 bracts white with occasional faint edge of garnet. The petals are 

 white, the filaments white, the anthers garnet, the ovary garnet, the 

 style white, the stigma garnet. The garnet anthers and stigma being 

 surrounded by the white petals have the appearance of a setting for 

 an old-fashioned ring of garnets and pearls. This species is more 

 delicate and far more beautiful than the Snow Plant. — Adele Dahl. 



Printed by Taylor & Taylor, San Francisco 



