THE PLANT WORLD. 



57 



Two or three especially curious ones were observed. Li one the 

 blossomino- head was perfect with the four white involucral leaves, and 

 two inches l)elow the head, separated by a cluster of normal green 

 leaves, as shown in the illustration, (Fios. 1 and 3) was a tifth white 

 involucral leaf, showing }jlainly the brown ti^) that stamped its origin 

 from the old bud -scale. 



In the other cases, two of which were observed, the head had five 

 involucral leaves, the extra one (Fig. 2) being the uppermost and 

 smallest in the one case while in the other instance the extra leaf was 

 the lowest one and was much larger than the others. In all three 

 instances the extra leaf seemed to show faint indications of a midril), l)ut 

 were otherwise exactly like the regular involucral leaves. They are 

 certainly very curious instances of the development and growth of an 

 extra bud scale. 



For the red-blotches involucral scales which were so common in 

 1898 no explanation offers itself, unless the very hot weather which 

 occurred in early spring started growth and the action of the subse- 

 quent cold weather caused the unusual development of the scarlet 

 color. 



As the dogwood season is now close upon us it would be well to 

 keep our eyes open for abnormal dogwood blossoms, Avhile on our 

 early spring forays. 

 Passaic, N. J. 



Fig. 1. 



Fig. 



Fig. 3. 



