50 Rhodora i [Marcu 
roots eighteen to twenty feet long giving rise to five or six separate 
stems. Here the new shoots arise as “adventitious ” buds upon the 
upper side of the parent roots. The latter are doubtless enabled by 
this very trait of bud-bearing to continue their growth in length 
through several years and extend far beyond ordinary limits. 
In Spiranthes cernua the method of vegetative reproduction is dif- 
ferent, as will be seen from the following observations. Some years 
ago, when looking over in early spring some plants of this species 
that had been transplanted the year before, I noticed a number of 
small individuais that looked as if they might be seedlings. But on 
closer investigation they proved to be young plants of non-sexual 
growth, arising from the roots of the previous year and in most cases 
being developed from the tip of the root. At first I thought this 
might be a case of adaptation to the new conditions of growth in the 
garden after transplanting, but upon search in the field I found that 
a large number of cases showed the same phenomena, and I have 
recently found a similar development in Neottia referred to by Stras- 
burger. It seems worth while therefore to call the attention of the 
readers of RHODORA to this noteworthy method of reproduction in 
one of our orchids. The accompanying sketch shows the manner 
of growth of the new plant. The most interesting aspect of the mat- 
ter is that the tip of the root, which usually possesses a structure 
peculiar to itself, is here converted, as it appears directly into the 
growing point of a stem. 
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS. 
A NEW JUNCUS OF THE GROUP POIOPHYLLI. 
HARLEY Harris BARTLETT. 
Juncus monostichus, sp. nov. — Erect, 3-5 dm. tall; culms 
compressed; leaves basal, from 4—} length of culm; blades o.5-1.5 
mm. broad, involute in drying; sheaths loose, mostly free, margins 
scarious; auricles produced, scarious; inflorescence 4-8 cm. long, 
much exceeded by its lowest bract, stramineous when mature; 
branches of inflorescence 1-2.5 cm. long, often incurved, bearing 
3-9 conspicuously secund flowers; perianth-segments 4-5 mm. long, 
