BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



I/OL 3 OCTOBER, 1878. /l/o. 7(> 



Some Wkstern Plants.— Western ])lants uow and then turn up at the East, other 

 tliau those which liave been introduced by railroad, cattle-transportation, and Mith 

 grass-seed. Mr. Hitchiugs, of Boston, a verj' sharp-ej-ed observer, has recently brought 

 me, from the borders of a pond in Winchester near here, the three following plants, 

 growing together : 



E •h'li^Urn^i p-irnulu^, E:igelm., a re-discovery, having iic'ii |V)'ind near here b^- 

 Thos. P. James, ten years ago. 



Srirpm sapiima, var., II<tUu, Gray, thus far without the curious subradical llowers 

 whicli were found by Mr. Morong at a neighboring locality 



Eli'oi'ltariH Eiifielnvnuii, Steud., var. detonsa. Gray, enumcralcn in Patterson's Cata- 

 logue of Oquawka Plants, and found also by E. J. Hill, in Indiana. The form of the 

 species with bristles as long as the nut was collected in Connecticut, at AVetherstiekl, 

 liy Charles Wright. The species is nearest B. obtusa. — A. Gkav. 



Neixwhuu-M LUTKiM. — Mr. J. ii. Lowrie of Wari'iorsm.irk, Peun., sends us the fol- 

 lowing extract from a letter from Prof. Thos. C. Porter in wiiich was described a recent 

 botanical jaunt into New Jersey : 



"Some w'eeks ago, leaves and flowers of Neluinbium J'lteum reached Dr. Trail 

 Green from a lake in Sussex Co., N. J., and as neither of r - had ever seen this giant 

 lily in its native haunts, we resolved to go in search of it Last >[oiKlay (Sept. 2) at 7 

 A. M., we started on the Morris and Essex R. R. and were in Newton, the county town 

 of Sussex, by 9 A. M. Thence by carriage over hills we travelled six miles westward 

 to a beautiful little lake, called Smartswood Pond, lying in the valley of the Pauliu's 

 Killcreek, about five miles east of the Blue Ridge. Its length is about three miles and 

 its greatest width one; but its outline is irregular. The day was warm, but tenii)erod 

 by a fine breeze. No time was lost in hiring a boat and a man to row it. Off we pushed 

 and directed our course to the largest of the three patches of Nelumbo found in the 

 lake. It occupies a sheltered, curving bay on the north, and is perhaps a dozen acres 

 in extent, and is discernible to the practiced eye afar off, Itecausc many of the big, pelt 

 late leaves, as large and round as young Norval's father's shield, and elevated on stou- 

 pelioles about two and a half feet above the surface of the water, and amongst them, 

 here and there, appeared peduncles as long and stout bearing the curious top-shaped 

 receptacles with their embedded seeds nearly ripe. These tossed by the l»reezc pre- 

 sented a novel and charming sjiectacle, as we drew near and glided through them. Ir 

 brought to mind Longfellow's description of the lakes f)f the Atchafalaya when ti'av- 

 ersed by Evangeline : 



'•resplendent in beauty tlie i.otus 



I.iftcd licr golden crown above the heads of the boatmen," 



wliich fr:)m my observation I suspect to be a practical exaggeration. Other leaves, of 

 all sizes, float, and the drops of water dashed ui)on them liv the dip of the oar, or the 

 inflowing waves, rolled and shifted with a silvery luster like drops of quicksilver, 'i'lic 

 same repellant power you may have noticed in those of another i)lant. the golden club, 

 fh-(iiiihnii (if/ii)iticuiii, wliicli is not strictly a coast plant, since it is not uncommon in 

 swamiis as far west as the summit of the .MIeglianies. 



