212 
and prevent parasitism, and then see how a Cuscuta would be- 
have. Corallorhiza at the time of flowering has a large mass of 
coral-like tissue at the base. Transplanting these I find the 
plants live and flower several years. Sarcodes sanguinea with a 
similar and larger mass has not grown the second year for me. 
It is clear that there is a varying power of adaptation in par- 
asitic plants much greater than is generally supposed, affording 
a fine field for the student in evolution. I read a paper on this 
subject at the Boston meeting above cited; but, annoyed at the 
mysterious disappearance from: the President’s desk of my care- 
fully prepared drawings, I did not publish it. But with some 
recent interest manifested the above facts may be worth record- 
ing. THOMAS MEEHAN. 
GERMANTOWN, PA. 
The Giant Sundew Heliotropic. 
The Drosera of all American Droseras isthe D. filiformts, and 
its abundance in the low ground at this time of the year is par- 
ticularly striking. The round leaved species (Drosera rotundi- 
folta) covers the otherwise bare white moist sand in many places 
and sends up its slender scapes bearing the small, erect, pale pink 
blossoms, while in the more grassy areas associated with the com- 
mon pale yellow Jeaved pitcher plant (Sarracenia flava), the Dros- 
era filtformis, thrives in all itsattractiveness. Ata distance of a 
- few rods the blooms of this sundew might be mistaken for the 
rich orchid, Calopogon tuberosus, as the flower, fully an inch 
across, has the same beautiful bright purple color. The smooth 
erect scape is about a foot anda half high, therefore exceeding 
somewhat the extremely viscid filiform leaves which unroll from 
the top as they unfold. After a few days the old leaves have 
secured many small insects, and their neatness and peculiar 
beauty in the morning sun are somewhat impaired thereby. 
But it is with the behavior of the blossoms that this note has 
particularly to do. Aside from the scape being many-flowered 
and the raceme hanging down like the bend of a shepherd’s crook, 
it may be said that this curve straightens out fast enough, so 
that a new flower is brought out each day to the top of the bend, 
_ when it displays its rich colored corolla and showy yellow an- 
