—116- 



Th is being so, it is not difficult to account for the slight varia- 

 tions in cutting exhibited in plants from widely separated points 

 in the United States. 



It is, of course, possible to follow the latest writer on the 

 subject, and consider each extreme of variation a distinct species, 

 but I do not agree with him in the opinion that the naming of 

 varieties is a stupid practice, nor do I see that it necessarily fol- 

 lows that because a species was named Japonicum from Japanese 

 specimens that we must infer that its centre of distribution is in 

 Japan. As I understand it, to take a familiar example, B. ter- 

 natum stands for a plant possessing certain characters no matter 

 where found. If we should find another Botrychium that differed 

 from this in some specific way, it would be correct to call it an- 

 other species ; but if it showed minor differences, slightly thicker 

 or thinner leaves, a longer or shorter stipe, a little deeper notch- 

 ing of the leaves, etc. — all characters that vary with the locality — 

 then it would seem more properly referred as a variety of the 

 first species. 



As I have noted in this journal there are certain slight dif- 

 ferences between the Japanese B. tcrnatum and our familiar 

 species of Eastern America, but these are not enough, I now be- 

 lieve, to make them two separate species, since all the differences 

 are found in the texture and cutting of the sterile part of the 

 frond. Under such circumstances I would arrange our American 

 forms as follows : 



Botrychium ternatum obliquum (B. obliquum Muhl.) The 

 common form in the North Atlantic States. 



B. T. obuquum 'forma dissECTum (B. dissectum Spreng.) 

 An exact duplicate of the preceding form in everything except 

 the cutting of the pinnules. These latter characterized by a 

 paucity of tissue between the terminal veins. Has the same 

 habitat and range, and the same peculiarity of waiting until July 

 or later before putting up its leaf for the season. No more en- 

 titled to specific rank than the "cut leaved" birch or elder. 



B. T. obliquum forma intermedium (B. obliquum inter- 

 medium UndeJ I would call this a mere form, comparable to 

 any of the chance varieties of Athyrium filix-focmina. 



B. T. obliquum forma coulteri (B. Coultcri Unde.). A 



