Arenaria confusa Rydb.
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Authority
New York Botanical Garden. Herbarium of Dr. Per Axel Rydberg. Purchased, 1899. Contributions from the New York Botanical Garden.
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Family
Caryophyllaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - A slender diffuse plant with cespitose, perennial, but not ligneous base. Stems slender, branched, 4-6 dm. long, finely puberulent: leaves opposite, linear-lanceolate, pointed, with a strong midrib, puberulent, 1—2 cm. long: pedicels in fruit divergent, about 1 cm. long, slightly bent under the calyx: sepals linear-lanceolate, acuminate, scarious-margined, not tuberculate-punctate, about 3 mm. long: petals about three fourths as long as the sepals: capsule broadly ovoid, about 4 mm. long.
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Discussion
This species is related to A. lanuginosa and A. saxosa, and somewhat intermediate between the two. In habit it resembles most the former, but does not have the subverticillate or fascicled leaves ; the sepals are narrowly lanceolate instead of ovate and not tuberculate- punctate, the stem is not retrorsely pubescent as in that species and the petals are larger. In all specimens of A. lanuginosa seen by me the petals are either lacking or not more than half as long as the sepals. A. saxosa is subligneous at the base, has low stems, short leaves, mostly less than i cm. long and sepals even in flower 4-5 mm. long. Dr. B. L. Robinson, in the Synoptical Flora, remarks under A. alsinoides [A. lanuginosa): "A more western form, represented from New Mexico by Fendler's 58 and 62 and Wright's 864, has slightly firmer stems, more numerous subpaniculate flowers, and leaves less narrowed at the base. In all these respects it shows a transition to the following." I have not seen the numbers of Fendler's collection cited ; but Wright's 864 as represented in Columbia University Herbarium belongs to A. confiisa. On the sheet of Rusby's 38, cited below, found in the Columbia University herbarium. Dr. Robinson has written in pencil : " Apparently this is merely a lax form of A. saxosa Gray. The earliest leaves are crowded, the upper internodes much elongated, and later flowers are always smaller. (B. L. R.)" Wilcox's plant cited below was also determined by Dr. Robinson as A. saxosa. Both of these agree perfectly, however, with Wright's specimens ; but neither with our material of A. lanuginosa from the Southern States and Mexico, nor with the type of A. saxosa. A. confusa grows in canons at an altitude of 2000-3500 m.
New Mexico: White Mountains, 1897, E. 0. Wooton, 295 (type); 1851, C. Wright, 864; Burrow Mountains, 1880, H. H. Rusby, 38.
Arizona: Ft. Huachuca, 1892, T. E. Wilcox ; Rincou Mountains, 1891, Neally, 119 ; Flagstaff, 1894, J. W. Tourney. Colorado: La Plata Mountains, 1896, F. Tweedy, 4.26; Wahatoya Creek, 1900, Rydberg & Vreeland, 6274; Pagosa Peak, 1899, C. F. Baker, 309.
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Distribution
New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado.
New Mexico United States of America North America| Arizona United States of America North America| Colorado United States of America North America|