54 MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



those of some of the small sedges, and form a compact body of foliage 

 easily mistaken for real turf. These leaves were borne on profusely 

 branching stems which were so much tangled that it was difficult to 

 work them out. The leaves are flattish,* sUghtly curved at the tips 

 and bear numerous filiform or capillary lobes which in turn are the 

 bearers of numerous colorless bladders, extremely delicate and easily 

 pulled off when the lobes are disentangled. The part of the leaf above 

 the surface of the mud is green, the rest colorless, and at the lower part 

 of the green portion are frequentlj- found one or two small bladders. 

 At the base of the leaf from the same node is generally, perhaps always, 

 a long capillary branch which is undivided but bears a large num- 

 ber of bladders arranged alternately. Whatever the true morphology 

 of these various parts ma}' be it is evident that the green parts are 

 functional as leaves and the strings of bladders are more or less roots. 

 The scape arises as a branch from the stem, but from the axils of lower 

 bracts, those below the surface of the ground, come clusters of root- 

 like organs which, when the i^lant is in bloom form a perfect tangle 

 of fibers and stems about the base of the plant. It is hoped to com- 

 plete the studies begun on this interesting plant another season, and 

 to determine the real relationship of the various organs, as they are 

 not clear at the present time. 



WOLFFIA NOTES. 



CHARLES A. DAVIS. 



This smallest of our flowering plants is as most of us are aware so 

 insignificant in size and so inconspicuous in everyway that it is rarely 

 seen and reported by collectors. This is instanced by the fact that it is 

 not reported by Mr. C. K. Dodge in his Flora of St. Clair count}' and 

 that it has not been noted more frequently in the State. It is prob- 

 able that like all other plants, it has periods of great scarcity and of 

 great plenty, and while in most ponds and slow streams it may be 

 found at all times when the water is open, there are exceptionally 

 favorable seasons. Such a year was 1000 in the water with which the 

 writer is most familiar, the mill pond at Alma. Wolffia, probably of 

 both species, is not an uncommon plant in the pond and is generally 

 not difficult to find in such places as Leinna is found. In October of 

 last year, however, it was very abundant, forming dense green patches 

 at any place on the pond where the various water plants reached the 

 surface and prevented its being blown about by the wind. On the 

 shores of the iiond there were often windrows of the plant three or 

 four inches deep, a half foot or more wide and rods in length. The 

 number of individual plants in these masses must have been enormous 

 and when it is said that the plant could have been gathered by bushels 

 there probably is no exaggeration. This extensive propagation of the 

 plant so late in the season may not be uncommon, but it is the first time 

 it has come under my notice in the course of a number of years of 

 work along the shores of favorable localities for such developments 

 and I have brought it to your attention to find out if others have ever 

 seen similar abundance of the plant. 



