vix eequantes, 2—8-flori, floribus subsessilibus in involucro duarum bractearum, (raro 1-flori, flore bibrac-
teato.) Flores oblique erecti. Sepala foliacea, distantia, intequalia, ovata lanceolataque, unciam longa,
membrana intracalycina duplo breviori. Corolla fere biuncialis, ex basi attenuata sensim ampliata, lobis
erectis late ovatis, obtusiusculis, tubo quinquies brevioribus, plica truncata 1. breviter triangulari. Stamina
tubo breviora, antheris incumbentibus sagittatis. Germen oblongo-lineare, utrinque attenuatum, stylo recto
longiusculo. Capsula elliptico-oblonga, in stipitem. seque longum attenuata, stigmatibus duobus crassis
atris reflexis coronata, corollam nxarcescentem auctam tequans. Semina oblonga, flavo-brunnea, testa
grosse areolata, altero latere tenuissime alata, altero exalata, apice et basi processu alseformi instructa.
Hab. Plentiful in low moist soil near Fort Vancouver. Mr. Douglas. Swamps in woods near the Columbia
River. Dr. Gairdner.—This is one of the most beautiful and distinct species of the genus; it has
no resemblance whatever with any individual of the group Cyane, and stands nearer, as regards habit,
the group of Ccelanthe, Ren., to which belong G. purpurea, L. and some other species : it is especially
like a new one of that group from Kamschatka, but differs from all of them by the iong'-stalked capsules.
The singular inflorescence contributes much to elucidate the pseudo-verticilli of G. lutea, L.
Tab. CXLV.—Fig. 1, Flower laid open :—nat. size.
7. G. platypetala {Griseb.); caule ascendente, foliis abbreviates ovato-subrotundis, flore
unico terminali sessili, calycis integri lobis ovatis acuminatis, corollas caeruleas lobis renifor-
mibus mucronatis plicam triangularem integerrimam duplo superantibus, antheris liberis.
Radix repens, annulis densis obsessa, superne foliorum emareidorum vestigiis tecta. Caules plures ex
eadem radice, spithamei, inferne nudi, superne dense foliosi. Folia ovato-subrotunda 1. ovato-oblonga (8'''
longa) internodia superantia. Flos in folia suprema immersus. Calyx patulus, 5-fidus, rubicundus, corolla
duplo brevior, sepalis membrana intracalycina basi connexis. Corolla basi lata, sensim ampliata, unciam
longa; lobi erecti, vix 2" longi, ex basi angustiori dilatati, apice fere truncati, cuspidato-mucronati,
medio latiores quam longi. Plica acutissima. Genitalia tubo multo breviora. Antherce ineumbentes.
Ovarium elliptico-lineare. Capsula elliptico-oblonga.
H ab. In the island of Sitcha, where it was found during the second expedition of Capt. Kotzebue. I
have seen specimens in the herbarium of Chamisso, and am not aware that it has been as “yet described
by Russian botanists.—This constitutes, together with the two following species, a small, but very remarkable
and distinct group. Their general appearance is similar to- G. septemfida, Pall.; they have
a thick and creeping root, often marked by singular rings, formed by concentric ruptures of the
epidermis;—these gradually loosen, and afterwards become contracted; the stem is low and ascending,
~ sometimes more than one grows from the same root; their leaves are short, roundish, and bent downwards;
the flowers have no peduncle whatever, they are always solitary at the summit of the stem, the calyx being
in immediate connexion with the uppermost leaves ; the seeds seem to be angular and not winged; at
least such is the case in G. cdlycosa.
8. G. calycosa (Griseb.); caule ascendente, foliis abbreviatis ovato-1. cordato-subrolun-
dis margine scabriusculis, floribus solitariis terminalibus sessilibus, calyce integro, lobis
latissime foliaceis insequalibus, corollas caerulese lobis ovato-oblongis acutis, plica multifida,
antheris demum liberis^ (T ab. CXLVI.)—/3. stricta; caulibus csespitosis, strictissimis,
simplicissimis, foliis acutioribus duplo brevioribus internodia sequantibus, radice fascicu-
lata, hinc annulata.
Radix repens, crassa, nigra, absque annulis. Caules csespitosi, sequales, laxi, spithamei, basi squamis
involuti, teretes, sulcato-striati, simplices 1. parce ramosi, ramis alternis flexuosis cauli similibus. Internodia
uncialia, superiora paullum longiora. Folia inflma squameeformia, ovata, obtusa, connato-vaginantia;
superiora sensim majora, ex basi cordata 1. late ovata subrotunda 1. rotundato-triangularia, obtusissima, 3-
5nervia, margine ad lentem serrulata, horizontaliter 'patentia, summa flori approximata. Flores solitarii
in apice caulis et ramorum immersi. Calycis tubus turbinatus, (4”' longus,) membrana intracalycina forma-
tus; lobi ejusdem fere longitudinis, foliacei, late ovati 1. cordato-triangulares, basi supra ineumbentes, ob-
tusissimi, longiores dimidiam corollam Eequantes. Corolla clavata, (unciam longa, dimidiam unciam lata.)
Lobi ovato-oblongi, apice triangulari acuto, tubo triplo breviores, plica triangulari multifida acutissima duplo
longiores. Genitalia dimidiam corollam sequantia. Antherce juniores conn at se, demum liberas, oblongee,
sagittatm, ineumbentes. Germen oblongo-lineare, apice longe attenuatum, stigmatibus revolutis. Capsula
elliptico-oblonga. Semina triangularia, 3-carinata, oblonga, striato-asperiuscula, altero latere acuta.
Hab. Both forms occur at Mount Rainier, on the north-west coast. Mr. Tolmie.—The structure of the
lowermost leaves is remarkable; they are commonly reduced to little scales, the opposite pairs of which are
so far coherent as to form a loose vagina round the stem of three or four lines in length. I saw a similar
abortion in G. Pneumonanthe, L., but the vagina did not proceed so far. The same peculiarity occurs in
the following species.
Tab. CXLVI.—A. var. /3. Fig. 1, Flower laid open:—slightly magnified.
9. G. Menziesii (Griseb.); caule erectiusculo, foliis abbreviatis oblongo-ellipticis obtusis
margine Isevibus, flore unico terminali sessili, calyce dimidiato utrinque latissimo, corollas
lobis cordato-dilatatis triangulari-acutis, plica brevi 2—Screnata, antheris liberis.
Radix crassa, apice squamosa. Caulis solitarius, simplicissimus, pedalis, striatus, inferne squamatus,
superne foliosus. Internodia subsequalia, uncialia. Folia patentia, connata, ex basi subobliqua, semio-
vata, late ovalia, obtusa 1. obtusiuscula, 8—5-nervia, (unciam longa, 8'” lata.) Vaginae calycinm subsequales,
late ovatse 1. ovato-oblongse, apice hinc processibus viridibus (sepalorum rudimentis instructaa. Corolla
uncialis, clavata, lobi ex basi transverse truncata dilatata, apice triangulari acuto,-tubo duplo breviores,
plica brevissima 1. truncata crenulata. Stigmata elongata, revoluta. Germen oblongo-lineare.
Hab. North-West Coast. Mr. Menzies.—This plant is most like G. platypetala, from which it differs
by the form of the leaves and of the corolla, the base of which runs to a point in this species, while it is very
large in G. platypetala, and also by the form of the lobi corollas and the plica intermedia, as is stated
in the diagnosis.
10. G. glauca (Pall.); caule humili ascendente, foliis obovato-spathulatis glaucis margine
lasviusculis, floribus paucis terminalibus, calyce integro, corollae pallide cseruleae lobis ovatis
obtusis plicam integram multo superantibus, antheris liberis, seminibus tenui ala cinctis.
(T ab. C X LVII.)—Pall. Ross. 2. p. 104. t. 93. f 2.—G. csespitosa. Graham, in Edinburgh
Philos. Journ.
Hab. In the Rocky Mountains. Mr. Drummond.—This does not differ at all from the Asiatic plant.
The circumstance of the existence of this species in the Rocky Mountains, is a valuable contribution to
the laws of the geographical distribution of the Gentians; the greater part of those species which adorn the
short summer of the Arctic Zone being again to be met with in the similar climate of the higher mountains
of lower latitudes. Many examples of this fact are known with regard to European species, but scarcely
one among those of the new continent, all the numerous species of the Andes being confined to those latitudes.
G. glauca, however, affords an instance of a similar distribution to that above quoted; Steller having
detected it in Behring’s Island, Pallas in Kamschatka, and Chamisso on both shores of Behring’s Strait.
Now, though the spot where Mr.Drummond found it, in the Rocky Mountains, lies under the same latitude
with Kamschatka, it is not to be forgotten that the isothermal line declines there to the south.