1922] Ames,—Notes on New England Orchids,—II 39 
The species most satisfactory for prolonged and intensive study 
proved to be our common Rattlesnake Plantain, Goodyera pubescens 
R. Br. (pl. 135). This species is common in New England, is approach- 
able at all seasons of the year and exhibits phenomena that seem to 
indicate something peculiar in its relation to environment. I under- 
took to observe this species through a period of twelve consecutive 
months, my purpose being to follow it from germination of the seed 
to its adult manifestations. 
Goodyera pubescens may well be described as a gregarious species. 
When it is found under eminently favorable circumstances it forms 
thrifty colonies in which the leaves almost conceal the underlying 
humus. Colonies persist for years, and notwithstanding the creeping 
habit of the rhizomes, retain their compactness. I studied the colony 
forming habit very carefully and arrived at the conclusion that it is 
in part to be accounted for by constant replenishment by seedlings. 
I found that in luxuriant colonies there was always an abundance 
of young plants that represented several generations of seedlings, 
and in a paper, published in the Orchid Review’, I stated that the age 
of one of these colonies is not to be estimated by the age of its oldest 
components and that a long-established colony may simply be an 
aggregation of comparatively young plants, its capacity to attain 
great age being a direct result of those phenomena which are associ- 
ated with endotrophic mycorrhiza. 
When the mature capsules dehisce in late summer or autumn many 
of the seeds fall directly to the ground within the confines of the colony 
and are soon washed by the rain or lodged by other means among the 
rhizomes and roots of the parent plants. They lie dormant through 
the winter, and at the beginning of the next growing season germinate 
and may be observed in July or August, of the year following dissem- 
ination, as tiny protocozms? hardly a millimeter in length (pl. 136, fig. 
1.). At this time the testa of the seed is observable, still adhering to 
the base of the growing embryo. At first, development is very slow. 
Protocorms devoid of perceptible chlorophyll, without roots or leaves 
may be found in the autumn. In this condition they are able to pass 
through the period of dormancy, and at the beginning of the next 
$ Orch. Rev. xxix. (1921) 106. 
3 This term was used by Treub to designate a young statein Lycopodium. Bernard, 
Ann. Sci. Nat. ser 9, ix, (1909) 9, adopted it for the conical body from which the coty- 
ledon and roots of seedling orchids emerge. 
