100 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 
winter. I am satisfied, however, that this is not frequently 
the case. It is probable that certain branches may also 
require more than two years for their development before 
fruiting. I am inclined to think this not uncommon though 
no specimens under continuous observation have been 
known to do so. 
One of the most marked and peculiar characters of 
Yucca aloifolia and a number of other Yuccas is the 
reflexing of the leaves. The reflexing does not take 
place gradually as the leaves are formed, but corre- 
sponds with the phytomeroids of the stem mentioned 
above. Only the leaves belonging to the upper phyto- 
meroid are erect, those of the preceding older phyto- 
meroids are all reflexed more or less strongly, becoming 
more and more closely appressed to the stem the nearer 
they are located to the base. All of the leaves belonging 
to a certain phytomeroid become reflexed at the same 
time, and this reflexing takes place at a certain stage in the 
development of the fruit and lateral shoot. About the time 
that the lateral shoot or shoots which form at the base of 
the old fruit cluster start their development, the leaves of 
the upper phytomeroid to which the old fruit cluster be- 
longs, begin slowly to reflex. As the lateral shoot develops 
they become more and more strongly reflexed till by the time 
the lateral shoot is half grown they have in most cases 
come to point strongly downward and form an angle of 
scme 45° or less with the stem (Plates 45 and 46). 
This angle grows less and less each year until the leaves 
have become closely appressed to the trunk. They finally 
die and dry up, but remain persistent, clothing the lower 
portion of the trunk (Plate 46). In cultivated aloifolia 
these are usually pulled off to render the plants more 
sightly, a practice liable to cause a misunderstanding of 
the true habit of the plant unless this is remembered. 
The leaves of the lateral shoots which start at the base of 
the old inflorescence, remain rigid and erect all through 
their growth and during flowering, as long, indeed, as these 
