80 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



Abnormal Nelumbo Stamen. — We have received from 

 Mr. Wm. Bembower, an abnormal stamen of the yellow lotus 

 (Nelumbo lutea) which he found while examining some 

 flowers of this species recently. In this, the anther, instead of 

 being tipped with a curved projection as is usual ends in two 

 rounded lobes. Whether this is an abortive attempt at a petal, 

 or whether it is simply a slip in stamen making it would be 

 hard to say. In the closely allied white water lily and yellow 

 pond lily transition forms of stamens are numerous and it is 

 likely that the specimen under discussion has a similar his- 

 tory. In the breeding of double flowers by the gardner, some 

 slight abnormality of this kind is selected and by careful 

 handling may produce the desired form. 



The Caltrop in Illinois. — During the first week in 

 September the editor found several specimens of the caltrop 

 (Tribidus terrestris) on a railway embankment that borders 

 the Desplaines river at Joliet. This appears to be a very rare 

 plant in America. It is a native of the Old World and only 

 during the last half century has it been known in this country. 

 It was first found on ballast ground near the sea-coast, and 

 later appeared in Nebraska, whither it had evidently been car- 

 ried in some immigrant's baggage. A few years ago it was 

 reported from Illinois, probabl}' at Chicago, though the exact 

 station does not seem to be known. The Joliet locality is the 

 third inland station thus far known for the plant. Although 

 it is to be regarded as a mere weed, considerable interest at- 

 taches to the plant from the form of its fruits. Each section 

 of the five-parted fruit ends in two spreading points, and when 

 one of the segments fails to develop, as is frequently the case, 

 the resemblance to a maltese cross is very striking. Those 

 who named the plant, however, were impressed by its resem- 

 blance to other and less pleasant objects. Its common name 

 of caltrop refers to those ingenious implements of warfare of 

 the same name, said to have been invented by the Romans, 



