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Ludwigia sphaerocarpa, Ell., grows abundantly. in several swamps 
near New Dorp; Stachys hyssopifolia, Michx., occurs in small quan- 
tities around the same places. I find Caulophyllum thalictroides, 
Michx., and Sanguinaria Canadensis, L., in woods near Egbertville; 
Tipularia discolor, Nutt., grows near there also. There are a num- 
ber of trees of Diospyros Virginiana, L., between Court House and 
New Dorp, a short distance above the railroad. Melitotus officinalis, 
Willd., grows a short distance down New Dorp Lane, and Chenopo- 
dium glaucum, L., near the beach, on the same road, Lechea thymt- 
folia, Pursh, occurs on the beach, near Garretsons. I have found 
both Lathyrus palustris, L., and the var. myrtifolius, Gray, in swamps 
along the salt meadows near New Dorp. Azbiscus Trionum, L., grew 
this year in a field near Court House. Parnassia Caroliniana, L., 
grows in a swamp near Silver Lake; near by is Casti/leta coccinea, 
Spreng. The yellow-bracted variety grew there last year sparingly. 
Pedicularis lanceolata, Michx., occurs there also. I found this spring 
two plants of Zvrientalis Americana, Pursh, near Giffords. Stylos- 
anthes elatotr, Swartz, grows in a cedar woods near Richmond. I 
noticed this summer, while walking along the meadows near Giffords, 
-half a dozen plants of Verbena hastata, L., which, instead of having 
blue flowers, had them pure white ; they grew in company with large 
quantities of the blue. Mr. Hollick found Asclepias incarnata, L., 
-changed in the same manner. We found a specimen of Vernonia 
Noveboracensis, L., on the same sport. Mr. Hollick found Hottonia 
inflata, Ell.,inapond near Mariners’ Harbor. <Asarum Canadense, L., 
grows in several places near the same place. Woodwardia angusti- 
folia, Smith, grows on the shore of Silver Lake. The sterile frond 
of this singular fern may readily be taken for Onoclea sensibilis, L. 
I found Wicotiana rustica, L., and Martynia proboscidea, Glox., grow- 
ing as weeds in a garden at Concord. Crataegus Crus-galli, L.., 
occurs along a brook near New Dorp. AHeracleum lanatum, Michx., 
is plenty on the same brook, further down. Zhymus Serpyllum, \.., 
occurs on the Turnpike, near the Clove Road. Pinus mitis, Mchx., 
occurs near Giffords’ Station, S. R. R. Averacium aurantiacum, L., 
is an escape in the same vicinity. 
One day in the latter part of May last, while botanizing on the 
sea beach below Giffords, I collected several plants of Opuntia vul- 
garis, Mill. [?], each having several buds. I took them home and 
laid them aside, hoping that they would open ; my hopes were real- 
ized, for during June they all expanded, each plant opening one 
flower a day, and the blossom of one day withering on the next. 
While carrying one of these plants from one room to the next, it 
accidentally fell from my hand. When I picked it up, I noticed 
that the stamens, which before the fall were expanded so as nearly 
to touch the perianth with their anthers, were now closely packed 
around the pistil, the anthers pressing against the stigmas. As soon 
as another flower opened, I gave it a rude shock and found a like 
result. All of my flowers showed a similar contraction. When the 
plant was allowed to remain quiet for a few minutes the stamens 
would again expand to their normal position. I found that a slight 
_ tap was sufficient to cause the contraction. This phenomena would — 
