12J^ BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



scabrous. This form is the largest. Intermediate between these, 

 there is a small form with smooth stem and scabrous leaves. Of 

 course these all run into each other, so that Me may expect anything 

 from a glaucous to a scabrous stem, variously combined with smooth, 

 rough or scabrous leaves. So much for appearance. When we look 

 at the structure of the heads there is little similarity. Compare the 

 two : 



Heliopsis. Helianthus. 



Rays . . pistillate . . neutral. 



Receptacle . . conical . . flat or convex. 



Chaff . . linear-lanceolate. . broad, embracing the achenia. 



Pappus . . none . . two or four deciduous scales. 



Keeping these pomts in mind there Avill be no trouble in recogniz- 

 ing Heliopsis at once. In dried sjDecimens I tind a peculiarity belong- 

 ing to this species that does not seem to be possessed by any Helianthus. 

 In the former the base of the rays is a deep orange color, shading off 

 to light orange at the top. The back or outside of the ray florets is 

 much lighter than the inside, becoming a straw yellow. These shades 

 seems to be constant and exist in all my specimens, which, consider- 

 ing the universality of the species, are entirely too numerous. I do 

 not find this shading to be present in any of the Helianthi. This 

 presents an obvious means of distinguishing between the two and the 

 presence of this coloring should at least lead us to suspect the 

 identity of the species in question. — C. R. Barnes, Madison, Ind. 



Cross-Fertilization in Lobelia syphilitica. — In an article upon 

 "Certain Contrivances for Cross-Fertilization in Flowers," published 

 in the American Naturalist for January, Prof. J. E. Todd gives the 

 following very interesting account of the arrangements for the cross - 

 fertilization of Lobelia syphilitica, L. 



The corolla is monopetalous and two lipped, the lower lip consist- 

 ing of three petals and the upper of two. Between the latter is a 

 slit extending to the base of the tube. The five stamens are free 

 from the corolla and united, their anthers and upper parts of the fila- 

 ments forming a tube ; or it may be said, the anthers combining, 

 form a common cell for the pollen, which opens by a pore at its apex. 

 On the lower margin of the pore are many short, stiff" hairs, which at 

 first project across the pore closing it, but v>dien the pollen is ripe 

 they turn abruptly downwards and leave it open. There is only one 

 pistil, which is armed near the end of the style with a collar of short 

 stiff hairs, similar in size and character to those on the anthers just 



