18 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



ing. There used to be hope that after a while all the species 

 would be described — so that systematic botanists could devote 

 themselves to deeper studies. But, alas, it seems only neces- 

 sary to make finer distinctions to reveal a wondrous display 

 of so-called species where none was seen before. — C V. Piper 

 in Science. 



Curious Flower Habits. — Miss Nell McMurray notes 

 that Medeola Virginiana has a habit of holding its flower 

 buds and fruit above the upper whorl of leaves, while the 

 blooming flower never fails to hang its head beneath them. 

 To this it may be added that the same habit runs through the 

 Trillium family, to which Medeola is a close ally. Trillium 

 cernuum is named from this habit and so is T. declinatum 

 while the name of T. erectum would indicate the exact reverse 

 of this condition it is a matter of ordinary observation that it, 

 like the others hangs beneath the leaves. Several of the others 

 though borne above the leaves could scarcely be called erect. 



The Wild Yam Gets a Plural. — Those who once 

 thought they knew the wild yam {Dioscorea villosa) have 

 another guess coming. As late as 1909 when the new 

 "Grays' Manual" was issued there was supposed to be but a 

 single species with possibly one variety. Even Small's "South- 

 ern Flora" which appears to have listed every plant that looked 

 different, fails to distinguish even a variety, but a recent publi- 

 cation of the Government describes no less than five species 

 and one variety. The reputed species are glaiica, quaternata, 

 paniculata, hirticaulis and Floridana. The species supposed 

 to grow in North Eastern America is D. paniculata. As usual 

 in name-tinkering the specific name villosa by which the plant 

 has always been known has been thrown on the scrap heap. 

 The root-stock of Dioscorea is used in medicine and it is said 

 that there is considerable difference in the medicinal properties 

 of the various forms. If so, we may become resigned to the 



