490 The Ohio Journal of Science [Vol. XIX, No. 8, 



It is possible that a dichotomous system might become nor- 

 mally hereditary in Vernonia but the present freak seems to be 

 a case of ever-sporting or recurrent variation of the same 

 nature as the fasciated cock's-comb and many other examples 

 mentioned by De Vries. But from its wide distribution and 

 abundant occurrence the writer is inclined to believe that this 

 variation is a tendency of the whole species. There is a "bent" 

 at least for the factor to be evolved if it is not universally pres- 

 ent in a suppressed state. Whether the individuals that have 

 dichotomous shoots would repeat the character more abun- 

 dantly than those which are normal, as seems probable, can be 

 determined by experiment. Of course, there may have been a 

 primitive mutation which survived and became generally 

 hybridized with the normal form. It may also be a case of 

 double expression, something like the expression of lobed and 

 unlobed leaves on a white mulberry tree. 



Seed was not available at the time when the writer left 

 Kansas for the east, but since one can find the dichotomous 

 individuals so readily, seed can easily be obtained by any one 

 at the proper season, because the character shows in the mature 

 or dead shoots as well as in the younger stage of growth. 



