in/son. — Observations on Epigcsa ripens, /.. 57 



dividus fleurs toutes les fleurs hermaphrodites." ' We also 

 find in Michaux's Flora " Flores omnes in nonnullis individ- 

 uis abortivi." Michaux was therefore the first to record the 

 different forms of this flower and to call attention to the fact, 

 noted many years later by Gray, that all the flowers do not 

 produce fruit. 



In 1868 Median" recorded a number of observations of 

 which the following is a brief summary : 



There is much variation in the size of the corollas in dif- 

 ferent plants. 



There are flowers without stamens, (Pistillate). 



Some flowers have five-lobed stigmas that are widely diver- 

 gent : In others the five lobes are closed. In such the stamens 

 are present, (hermaphrodite.) 



The ovaries are larger in corresponding states in the pistil- 

 late forms than in the staminate. 



The pistillate forms shed their corollas first. The corollas 

 on the hermaphrodite forms dry up without dropping.(??) 



Cope communicated to Meehan at this time that the corol- 

 las of the pistillate forms are recurved and vasiform and may 

 thus be distinguished from the hermaphrodite form. 



Nearly ten years later the following facts were commu- 

 nicated to the Boston Society of Natural History 3 by Gray * 

 and Goodale. 



There are four kinds of flowers : 



1. Those with long styles and perfect stigmas. 



2. Those with short styles and perfect stigmas. 



Both of the above kinds with aborted stamens. 



3. Those with long styles and imperfect stigmas. 



4. Those with short styles and imperfect stigmas. 



Both of the above kinds with perfect stamens. 

 The modified stigmas on the one hand, and the aborted 

 stamens on the other are looking toward dioecism ; the differ- 



1 From the Journal of Andre Michaux, written during his travels in the United States 

 and Canada, 1785-56, Proceedings American Philosophical Society, Vol. xxvi., 18S9, No. 

 129, p. 138. 



" Proceedings Philadelphia Academy Natural Sciences, Vol. xx., May, 1868, p. 133. 



3 Proceedings Boston Society Natural History, Vol. xxiii., 1876. 



* Siliman's Journal, July, 1876. 



