1904.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 483 



most of the plants had died down, the still remaining leaves were yel- 

 lowish and m a state of decay. The red fruits were numerous, and it 

 did not seem as though the plants were in immediate danger of exter- 

 mination, even if their sole method of propagation were by seed On 

 uprootmg some, she had found that the growths had been completely 

 severed from the parent corms, and that, in fact, they seemed to be 

 mo^-ing away from them. It is a significant fact that we do not find 

 the Jack-m-the-pulpit growing close together in tufts, as would natur- 

 ally follow were these short underground growths to develop in con- 

 nection with the corms from which they spring. The result of the 

 spontaneous loosening leads naturally to a prevention of this condition 

 -buture observations must determine just how far the young corms 

 may travel from the spot where they had their origin. The elongated 

 form termmated by a point would offer but slight resistance to any 

 force which would tend to carry them away. Thus we find in this 

 plant a rather unusual form of reproductive bodies in these under- 

 ground sprouts and probably also an unusual method of dissemination 

 A considerable amount of activity is manifested in the formation of 

 these bodies, but this by no means represents the entire summer work 

 of this typical sprmg flower, even aside from the fruit formation. On 

 removmg the decaymg stems from the plant, a large pinkish, whole- 

 some bud comes mto view. Within the three heavy protecting sheaths 

 the Jack-m-the-pulpit is completely formed in miniature. The leaf 

 is unmistakable m its form, standing bolt upright, even emphasizing 

 the peculiarity of the adult leaf. Close to it is the inflorescence with a 

 fully formed spathe and the flowers within are marked by well-defined 

 masses of cells. Thus all is in readiness for the first warm days of the 

 following sprmg. 



To some extent the same is true of Podophyllum. In the vigorous 

 buds termmatmg the underground stems, described above, the leaf 

 and flower are also plainly formed. It is also true of SmUadna 

 racemosa, though perhaps to a less degree. Here the future raceme 

 is foreshadowed by the characteristic shape of the vegetative point 



We may safely conclude, therefore, that the summer months are 

 also a busy season with these spring flowers. We can appreciate how 

 heavy the demands are on the vegetative activity of the leaves of 

 Anscema tnphylhim when we remember that one current must carry 

 nutrition to the forming fruit, at least in the seed-bearing plants, 

 another stream travelling in the opposite direction must provide for 

 the food supply of the miniature plant in the bud, and also for the for- 

 mation of the underground reproductive bodies above described 

 The season IS indeed one full of activity up to the time when its close 

 IS marked by the fruit dropping heavily from the exhausted stalk. 



Henry D. Jordan, M.D., and James Harold Austin were elected 

 members. 



The following were ordered to be printed: 



