3 1 8 Schively — Contributions to the Life History of 



The accounts given by Wood, Chapman, and Gray 12 are 

 similar to those given above ; but none are so minutely 

 descriptive as that of Torrey and Gray. 



In a communication to the Academy of Natural Sciences 

 by Meehan 16 , quite a different statement is made. The 

 purple flowers, the imperfect flowers above alluded to, and 

 the fruit in each case are described. A legume differing in 

 shape from that usually described was noticed by him and 

 figured. The following is quoted from the paper: "In 

 what may be termed the more vigorous racemes, the two 

 lowermost flowers, either have but a small vexillum pro- 

 jecting beyond the calyx, or none. The next half dozen 

 flowers are perfect in every respect and fall without perfect- 

 ing a legume. The apetalous flowers can scarcely be classed 

 as ' cleistogamous,' for there is no pollen. A few unde- 

 veloped stamens are found here and there. In absence of 

 positive demonstration, I should regard these as pistillate 

 flowers receiving pollen from the petaliferous one." 



Summing up the previous statements, it is found that 

 there is a general agreement regarding the structure of the 

 purple flowers, and their position on the plant. Their 

 fertility, however, is questioned. 



There is no unanimity as to the structure of the imperfect 

 flowers. No doubt seems to exist as to their presence upon 

 the plant, but the location is not definitely stated. 



Excluding the observations of Meehan, and for the 

 present, Elliott's statement regarding A. sarmentosa, there 

 have been given but two kinds of flowers, and the same 

 number of pods. 



Amphicarpcea monoica, however, possesses no less than 

 four distinct varieties of flower, and as many legumes. These 

 may be enumerated as «, b, c and d. (a) Evident aerial 

 flowers of purple color may fairly be distinguished as 

 the normal type, (b) Aerial cleistogamous flowers, possess- 

 ing no corolla or a very rudimentary one, are intermediate 

 between the purple aerial and the subterranean, (c) The 

 subterranean is much reduced in structure, and may be 



