Amphicarpaa monoica. 319 



regarded as derived from the normal through (/>). {d) This 

 form is produced during the winter months, and is a com- 

 pound of (b) and {c)\ it might be called a transition type. 



Purple Aerial Flowers. 



The lavender purple, often almost white flowers are pro- 

 duced in pendulous simple, occasionally compound, racemes. 

 These are borne in the axils of cauline leaves (from about 

 half the plant's height upward), and also upon the upper axil- 

 lary shoots. Buds appear during the last week of July and 

 bloom from August 10 into September. These statements 

 are made from observations in the neighborhood of Phila- 

 delphia. At Woods Holl, Massachusetts, blooming occurred 

 from five to eight days later. The number in a raceme 

 varies from ten to twenty-four, occasionally more. There 

 are frequently two buds, certainly one, in the axil of a 

 broadly ovate, partly clasping, striate, pubescent bract. 

 (Plate XXVII. , Fig. 1, 2). 



Careful study has led to the conclusion that there are orig- 

 inally two buds in each axil. Very young as well as more 

 advanced racemes showed this condition. As elongation 

 takes place, some of the buds fall off; frequently when most 

 of the flowers are in bloom, there is but one in many of the 

 axils. No histological investigation has yet been completed 

 regarding this. It may be proper to state here, that if this 

 supposition is correct, there may be some foundation for the 

 statement given in Torrey and Gray that these bracts are 

 formed by a "union of a pair. 1 ' However, it is elsewhere 

 stated by these authors in regard to the imperfect flowers that 

 the bracts are distinct. No bracts are found with these latter 

 flowers; the stipules certainly have been mistaken for them. 

 Therefore the previous statement would not be of value. 



Some observations in reference to the number of buds 

 occurring in the axil of each bract of the raceme have been 

 recorded as follows : — 



