THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 13 



stigma and a new load clapped upon the bee's back. Thus 

 is cross-pollination ingeniously and effectively performed. It 

 would be difficult to find in nature a stranger or more interest- 

 ing contrast than this curious comparison between the low 

 orders of scavenger insects attracted by the peculiar odor and 

 appearance of the spathe of the skunk cabbage and the more 

 intelligent insects attracted by the fragrance and exquisite 

 beauty of the lady's slipper. The secrets and mysteries of 

 Nature are alike curious and interesting. 



HERBS WITH FLESHY FRUITS 



r T" r REES and shrubs have a variety of ways of distributing 

 -*■ their seeds, ranging from mere capsules, from which the 

 wind shakes the seeds, to winged fruits and seeds, explosive 

 fruits, seeds with hard coats distributed by mammals, and juicy 

 fruits distributed largely by birds. Hooked seeds and fruits 

 are the only common device for distributing seeds that the 

 woody plants lack, but it is obvious that such modifications 

 would be useless in the tree-tops. These various methods of 

 seed distribution are all represented among herbaceous plants, 

 though the occurrence of juicy fruits in them is so rare as to- 

 be remarkable. This very decided restriction of such fruits 

 to the woody plants doubtless has some bearing on evolution, 

 if we could fathom it, but what it is nobody at present seems 

 to know. That there are a few herbaceous species with juicy 

 fruits is shown by the following list from the vicinity of Kutz- 

 town, Berks County, Pennsylvania, compiled by Mr. C. L. 

 Gruber. It is important, not only for what it contains but for 

 the vast number of fleshy fruits which are excluded because 

 borne on woody plants. If readers can add other species to 

 this list we shall be glad to publish them. 



