42 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



spores, which when ripe fall out in a yellow snuff-like impal- 

 pable powder. Each spore is embraced by four coil-like ten- 

 tacles, the elaters, which cling close to the wall with a spiral 

 twist and with an enlargement at the end. The elaters are 

 very hygroscopic, i. e., subject to change of moisture in the 

 air. When dry they adhere pretty closely to the body of the 

 spore, as if wrapped around it. Merely breathing upon the 

 spores causes each one to unroll. When placed upon the slide 

 of a microscope and then breathed upon, they never fail to 

 cause amusement to all obseiwers as they skip and dance about 

 in most fantastic mazurkas. 

 Providence, R. I. 



MAY FLOWERS WITH LEAF NAMES. 



By Miss Nell McMurray. 



/^ FTEN plants receive their names from the character of 

 ^^ their workers, the leaves. 'Tis a pleasing custom, for 

 the leaves, commonly, stay with a plant longer than the flowers 

 or fruit. 



Our first violet, the yellow Viola rotundifolia, may be the 

 first herb in the spring with a leaf name. Some of its sisters 

 come trooping afterward with names similarly acquired. V. 

 hastata is, also, an early yellow one that loves the woods and 

 V. pubescens appears there a little later. V. renifolia is the 

 white round-leaved one, a smooth little plant that springs up 

 in the moist woods. Hepatica triloba is so anxious to bloom 

 that it pushes its flowers above the old leaves before its new 

 three-lobed leaves have a chance to grow. Its first name comes 

 "from a fancied resemblance to the liver in the shape of the 

 leaves." 



Do not the leaves help name the trilliums? These spring 

 bloomers show a strong liking for the number three, clinging 

 to it when they make their leaves, sepals, petals, stigmas and 

 ovary. First comes Trillium crectum, then T. undulatum 

 and finally T. grandiflorum all enjoying the damp woods. 



