20 



The Ohio Naturalist. 



[Vol. IV, No. 1, 



MINOR PLANT NOTES, No. 5. 



W. A. KEr.LERMAN. 



White Heath Aster. — Some notes were given in a former 

 number of the Ohio Naturalist concerning the Aster ericoides, 

 the White Heath Aster. Opportunity was afforded in 1903 to 

 see the behavior of this species in Washington 

 County, Ohio. Here, as was the case in Adams 

 County, the plant, if unmolested, soon takes full 

 possession of the pastures and roadsides, and all 

 neglected arable ground. While it does pre- 

 vent washing of the hillsides, it would not seem 

 to be a profitable plant to grow or to let grow for 

 this purpose; grasses rather should be cultivated. 

 The thrifty farmer apparently has no annoyance 

 from this weed, since it does not venture to grow 

 on ground occupied icit/i properly cultivated crops. 

 It is believed that the former estimate and judg- 

 ment relative to Aster ericoides does not need 

 revision. 



Beat That? — At the end of the previous 

 growing season there was found in a garden, a 

 beet (not a dead beet) that had been evidently 

 struggling heroically against adverse circumstan- 

 ces. Adjacent sweet pea vines, not properly 

 supported, had fallen over and partially smoth- 

 ered a row of garden beets. One of these made 

 an effort to reach up to the light but was caught 

 again and dragged down. It evidently per- 

 sisted in its efforts and the result is shown in the 

 marginal figure reproduced from a photograph. 

 The stem sent up many many small branclies 

 whose small leaves obtained the neces-sar}- sun- 

 shine. This struggle for existence also awakened 

 the instinct of reproduction and accordingly an 

 elongated inflorescence was formed. Numerous 

 flowers and .some fruits were produced. The total 

 length of the stem was six feet. 



Abnormal Leaves of Aesculus Glabra. — 

 A very striking case of abnormal leaves was 

 recently noticed near Columbus, in a grove of 

 small trees of the Ohio Buckeye, x-\esciilus glabra. 

 Earlier in the season they had been quite denuded 

 of leaves by insect depredation. A den.se tuft of leaves termina- 

 ted each of the twigs — in itself cons]-)icuous — and nearly half of 

 the new leaves were more or less aborted and abnormal. The 



