OBSERVATIONS ON THE POLLINATION 

 Of Solanimi rostratum Dunal and Cassia chamsecrista L. 



BY .1. ARTHUR HARRIS AND OSCAR M . KUCHS. 



With Plate I. 



IN 1882 Professor Todd published his interesting observa- 

 tions 1 on the pollination of Solatium rostratum and Cassia 

 cJiamsecrista. Since that time, so far as the writers are aware, 

 nothing has appeared upon this subject. During the months 

 of August and September, 1901, opportunity was afforded the 

 writers for making more extended observations on these species. 

 The notes here given are the result of these observations. In 

 some respects, these observations, or the conclusions drawn 

 from them, differ essentially from those made by Professor 

 Todd ; in others they are practically the same. The writers 

 feel that, even where observations or conclusions are the same, 

 the confirmation of Professor Todd's results is of value, since 

 the data have been collected in a different locality and a different 

 year. 



It must be borne in mind that the lack of agreement between 

 the observations in the present paper with those made by Pro- 

 fessor Todd is probably largely due to the inferior quality of 

 his material. S. rostratum had been but recently introduced 

 into southern Iowa when Professor Todd's article was written. 

 It apparently did not thrive very well, the greatest number of 

 flowers mentioned as appearing on any one plant being ten — a 

 very small number to be produced by a plant of any considerable 

 size. While also an introduced plant in eastern Kansas, it has 

 been long and well established, and grows luxuriantly. 2 



The data upon which the conclusions here given are based 

 have been given largely in tabulated form. For the present 

 purpose, it might have been sufficient to give only the sum- 

 marized results of some of the tables. They have, however, 



1. Todd Prof. J. E. : On the Flowers of 8olanvm rostratum and Cassia ehamascrista, Amer. 

 Nat., vol. XVI, pp. 281-287, 1882. A brief review of Todd's paper is given by Dr. P. Knuth, Hand- 

 buch der Blutenbiologie, Leipzig, 1898. 



2. According to Carruth — Carruth, J. H., Catalogue of Plants seen in Kansas, with addi- 

 tions by Prof. F. H. Snow and Prof. E. Hall— 6'. rostratum first appeared in Kansas in 1864. 

 This date probably refers to eastern Kansas. Dr. S. W. Williston informs the writers that it ap- 

 peared around Manhattan in 1860 or 1861. 



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