e 
1900] Harper, — Plants of central Massachusetts II9 
Many cases of distortion of the species of Laminaria and of other 
species of the Laminariacee, are to be met with in any extensive col- 
lecting. Spiral forms both of blade and of stipe are often found, as 
well as the trilaminate forms, both of the digitate and of the simple 
species. Bifurcate forms are rarer, but do occur in the digitate species. 
'They arise from the blade being split deeper than usual, that is even 
down through the transition place into the stipe, while the plant is 
still young and the tissues are still capable of a considerable amount 
of growth. These forms have even received varietal names from 
the earlier algologists. 
( To be continued.) 
NOTES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF SOME OF THE 
RARER PLANTS OF CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS. 
RoLAND M. HARPER. 
DuRiNG two seasons of botanizing in Worcester County and ad- 
jacent territory, I have met with quite a number of plants which, 
while already known to occur in the counties or states in which I 
collected them, are perhaps so local in their distribution that new 
stations for them may be of more or less interest to any one who 
makes a study of the geographical and altitudinal distribution of the 
flora of New England. 
Most of these plants have hitherto been known in Worcester 
County from only one town, or have been reported by only one ob- 
server; and an examination of the more recent local floras of adjacent 
states and counties has shown me that they are, for the most part, 
little known in those regions also. I have therefore thought it worth 
while to place on record some of my observations on a few such 
plants for comparison with those of other botanists. 
The lists of stations here given may be regarded rather as tending 
to fill lacunæ in our present knowledge of the distribution of the 
plants under consideration, than as furnishing actual extensions of 
range. All the plants mentioned have been collected in 1899 unless 
otherwise specified. ; 
Botrychium matricariafolium, Braun. Rich damp woods, South- 
bridge, August 13, 1898 (altitude 520 feet) ; only two or three speci- 
mens seen. This seems to be the southernmost known station for 
