144 Rhodora [AvGUsST 
from outward appearances the acorns containing plural seeds did not 
differ in shape or size from those with single seeds. Possibly the 
larger acorns when picked out showed more tendency to double seeds 
but, if so, the difference was slight. Here we have an ordinary chance 
case which upon examination shows over 30% of the acorns with 
plural seeds. This is sufficient proof of the frequency of the occur- 
rence. It may be stated that the plural seeds are always at once 
easily distinguished or separated by the thin testa or seed coat which 
surrounds and separates them, so that however crowded or mis-shapen 
they may be there is no reason to confuse the seeds or pairs of coty- 
ledons which are always contained in their own testal envelope. 
While some small fruited species, like Quercus palustris, probably 
rarely, if ever, produce plural seeds, it is likely that the tendency will 
be found in many species in varying degree; probably also influenced 
by the age or vigor of the trees and the ecological conditions under 
which they grow. 
SCHOOL or Forestry, Harvard University. 
THE AMERICAN VARIATIONS OF STELLARIA BOREALIS, 
M. L. FERNALD. 
Stellaria borealis Bigelow presents in North America such pro- 
nounced variations that it has seemed desirable to attempt some 
organization of them, especially as the major varieties have rather 
definite and natural geographic ranges. Through much of the range 
of the species in North America the leaves are linear-lanceolate or 
lanceolate, the primary ones 2.5-8 cm. long; but in certain districts 
of both the Northeast and the Northwest there are varieties with 
short ovate, ovate-lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate leaves only 0.7- 
2.5 cm. long. 
The plants with elongate linear-lanceolate or lanceolate leaves 
have ordinarily been treated by American authors as S. borealis, 
which has been divided into a supposedly typical form, with the 
flowers axillary and the upper leaves scarcely reduced, and a variety 
“alpestris” or “corollina” with a loosely cymose inflorescence and the 
