306 
be, as these are too moncecious plants, then Dr. Engelmann’s the- 
ory of the sexual character may be correct. In the absence of 
such proof, if we are true philosophers, we are obliged to accept 
the nearest-by theory that explains the phenomena that the life, 
character and life-work of our plant presents; and pronounce 
it to be originally, as it comes from the seed, a moncecious grass, 
bearing unisexual flowers upon stalks arising from different parts 
increasing itself mainly by stolons proceeding from sexually dif- 
ferent parts of the plant, each reproducing its own form. 
E, N. PLANK. 
BRENHAM, TEXAS. 
The Rhizomes of Penthorum sedoides as Leafy Shoots. 
In August, 1891, a Penthorum sedoides, L., was taken from 
the wet sand of a ditch and placed in a glass jar of water in 
_ which aquatic plants and animals were kept for study. About 
three months afterwards it was taken out of the jar to be thrown 
away, since the leaves had fallen off and the stem was mostly 
dead, and it was thought to be of no further use. Finding the 
subterranean stems, which were three or four in number and from 
two to three inches long, thickly covered with leaves, the plant 
was replaced in the jar for further development; the shoots had 
not attracted attention before, as they were in the midst of 
stems of Anacharis, which they resembled closely enough to be 
overlooked. At the beginning of the past summer most of these 
leaves had dropped off, but one stem had a living bud and some 
fresh leaves after more than a year’s time had _ passed. The 
rhizomes have behaved like an aquatic, floating in the water in 
which they have been immersed, and receiving plenty of light 
but no food except what has been furnished by the stem and the 
water. The leaves are of a deep green color, and are closely 
imbricated, they are sessile, narrowly oblong-oblanceolate, acute, 
and finely serrate. They are from three to five eighthsof an inch 
long, thickish, or inclined to be fleshy. A minute bud is found in 
the axile of each; they are very much crowded, and are apparent- 
ly eight-ranked. They call to mind species of Sedum, especially 
S. acre, by the imbricated leaves, their small size and general ap- 
