154 THE PLANT WORLD. 



ticularly fine specimen was encountered July 5, 1900, near the woods, 

 Woodward County line, 17 miles west of Alva, Oklahoma. It grew 

 on a large deserted prairie dog mound. The material which had been 

 brought up from beneath consisted of sand and clay of the Tertiary 

 or Red-beds, which by disintegration had formed a fertile soil. The 

 plant rooted near the center of the mound, where main branches left 

 the ground. At a short distance from the root these subdivided rapid- 

 ly and the vines ran off straight to all points of the compass, like the 

 spokes of a wheel. There were 52 of these varying in length from 9 

 to 15 feet. Usually the vines grew singly but occasionally 2 or even 

 3 were entwined for a part or all of their length. So dense was the 

 foliage that when viewed from a short distance the plant seemed to 

 form a perfect mat of green which contrasted strangely with the 

 brown buffalo grass. The average diameter of the mat was perhaps 

 20 feet and its circumference between 70 and 75 feet. The deep yel- 

 low flowers, the large green triangular leaves with upturned edges, 

 and the abundance of white and green striped fruit all combined to 

 make a lasting impression on the mind. 



The radiate structure seems to be normal in this species. In 

 smaller specimens the vines invariably run straight out from the cen- 

 ter. As is the case of the Tpomoea and the Arteinhla the persistent 

 verdure of the plant is due in a large measure to its enormous root. 

 In general the CucurJyita root is cylindrical and tapers gradually to a 

 fine rootlet. I have seen specimens 8 feet long and as large as a man's 

 arm at the point where the root was broken oft'. Such a root if con- 

 tinued to its full length could scarcely fail to reach a substratum of 

 moist earth even in the dryest weather. 

 University of 01s:lalioma. 



NOTES ON OPHIOGLOSSUM. 



By Joseph Crawford. 



AS some little interest in life history of Ophioglossum has been 

 manifested since my article in the Fern Bulletin on Resting of 

 Ophioglossum, I made a trip in the early part of July, corre- 

 sponding nearly to date of last season's noting, to Holly Beach, N. J. 

 to get the condition of Oi^hioglosswm arenarium. I am pleased to report 

 that a much laiger number had made their appearance than last sea- 



