I should very much wish to have one more opportunity of inspectiiig the 
the Jjoudon coliections before publishing the view I have arrived at 
respecting the plant here in questition, as it may seem ratiier hazardous to transfer 
the Arenaria Pumilio of Rob. Brown to the genus Sagina. The description of 
Brown'8 species is to be found in Hooker's App. Parrt II, p. 391, and there is 
hardly more than one item in it that is not in accord witli tlie transferring to the 
above genus or with the description of S. crrspitosa, (Valil) Lange, viz., that the 
stigmas are said to be three ouly. The specimens not being in a very good state 
or easily accessible, I have not been able to make sure of this point. The habit 
of the plant, however, is entirely that of a Sagina and not of an Alsine, the leaves 
being aggregated in rosules, not distinctly opposite in elongated branches. Provided 
I have rightly identified the plant in question, the nanie used above is the oldest 
and consequently to be taken up instead of Arenaria ca.spitosa, Vahl, published in 
Flora Danica, Fasc, 39, 1840. The name S. nivalis, (Lindbl.) Fries, is not in accord 
witir^the Vienna rules, as it has originally been published as the name of a variety 
[Spergula saginoides, L. p Sp. nivalis. Lindblom, Str. botan. anteckn., p, 328, 1838), 
even if Lindblom has låter, iu Botaniska Notiser, 1841, p. 171, used it as a species- 
name. For my own part I should be more inchned always to use the oldest name 
without retrenchment because it may have been at first looked upon as a variety, 
but it seems necessary to subinit to the Vienna rules if everlasting disputes of 
priority are to be avoided. 
Macoun, Cat., p. 71, has A, Pumilio, R. Br., as a synonym of Arenaria are- 
tica, Stev, var. breviscapa, Regel, which can hardly be right as it is united with 
Hooker's var. grandiflora, which is quite a different plant. Tavlor has, as speci- 
mens in the KH show, confounded it with Alsine Rossii, a name which he has used 
for rather different things. Lastly there is in the NHM one specimen from Pakhy's 
third voyage without indication of locahty, and one in the KH, labeled «Arctic 
America, Parry». Both most probably are from Port Bowen where it shall have 
been collected according to Hookkr, App. Parry III, and as it is there recorded for 
the Whale Fish Islands in Greenland also (I have seen the specimen in tiie KH, it 
IS collected by J, C. Roas and represents the same plant) this decidedly speaks in 
favour of my opinion, as Lange, Consp. Fl. Groenl, p. 22, records"^ his 6^^'* 
cmspitosa from that region, and as no Alsine arctica is ever recorded from Green- 
land by any rehable authority. 
? Sa^na Linnasi, Presl. 
Spergula saginoides, Hookeb, App. Pabey II. 
Distribution. [Mel ville Pemn«ala ?, Edwards (ex Hooker, 1. c.)]. 
Geographic area. Greenland, northwestern parts of North America (?), northern and 
central Asia, arcnc Riigaia, mountains of Enrope. 
