**j Leavitt,- Seed Dispersal of Viola rotundifolia 183 



Eurkynchium strigosum so far collected in Vermont is var. robustum 



°Bryhmagraminkolor. Willoughby, Dr. Kennedy. Newfane. 

 Porotnchum Alkghamense. Wet overhanging rocks. Newfane. 

 Rhynchostegium serrulatum. On soil, Higbee swamp, Burlington. 



Newfane. 



Entodon repens. Newfane. 



Pykusia velutina. On trees, Stowe. 



HomaUaJanusii. Not frequent on cool shaded rocks a moist 



situations. 



Leucodon sciuroidcs. Not uncommon. 



Boys' High School, Brooklyn, New York. 



SEED DISPERSAL OF VIOLA ROTUNDIFOLIA. 



R. G. Leavitt. 



At maturity the capsule of the violet slowly opens. Each of the 

 three boat-shaped valves holds several smooth, hard, oval seeds. 

 As the fruit dries and the sides of the valves draw together more and 

 more strongly, the seeds are squeezed with increasing force. A 

 length they escape from the pressure and are at the same instant 

 thrown to a distance. The end seeds in each valve fly out first 

 according to Kerner, and the rest follow in orderly succession a 

 intervals The distance attained by the seed-missiles of this catapult 

 fruit is given by the authority mentioned as a little over three feet in 

 the case of Viola camna, for which alone figures are given. We have 

 at present in the garden of native plants at North Easton a violet, 

 V rotundifolia, which puts Kerner's species to shame in this matter 

 of' seed dispersal. Young plants from the spring crop of self-sown 

 seeds have now grown to such a size that they may be definitely 

 recognized by the round leaf; and they form a living chart of the 

 points to which the seeds were thrown. The parents occupy a 

 pocket or small bed marked off by a circle of stones. In an adjoin- 

 ing pocket, within one or two feet of the home plantation, the off- 

 spring have come up freely. At a distance of a little more than 5 

 feet there are three seedlings. And there is one young plant 9 feet, 



