THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 83 



Misnamed Sunflowers. — It is very commonly believed 

 that sunflowers are so named because they turn their flower- 

 heads to the sun in the morning and follow his course all day. 

 A little investigation, however, will show that this is only a 

 very pretty piece of fiction to account for the comon name. 

 There may be sunflowers that constantly turn toward the sun, 

 but our garden sunflower {Helianthus amiiius) does not, nor 

 do the common species of the fields, such as H. grosse-serratus, 

 H. la^tiflorus, H. gigantcus, H. occidentalis, H. tuberosus, H. 

 strumosus and H. mollis. These plants are adjusted to bright 

 snulight and when growing in such a position that they are not 

 equally lighted from all sides may turn toward the direction 

 of greatest light, but that they do so when growing in the open 

 fields may be doubted. In this connection it may be noted that 

 the compass plants (Silphium), whose leaves are very sensi- 

 tive to light, do not turn their flowers to the sun. Under these 

 circumstances it may be queried whether there are any plants 

 that do so. Observations of our readers are requested. 



Form versus Variety. — If there is any botanist, living 

 or dead, who has made a clear distinction between the words 

 "form" and "variety" as applied to plants, we wish someone 

 would rise up and point him cut. So far as our own efforts 

 go, we fail to find much difference in the two except that the 

 word variety is the more general term and may mean anything 

 in plants less than a species. The use of the word forma, to 

 designate trivial forms of plants due to variations in the soil, 

 moisture, light, etc. in the plants' habitat has but recently come 

 into general use, being first taken up extensively by the Fern 

 Bulletin. Previous to that time variations in the species were 

 usually known as varietiees. To change the name of a plant 

 from form to variety or the reverse, would seem a mere change 

 of terms not affecting the status of the plant form in any way. 

 This being the case, it is surprising that a prominent botanist 



