as the consequence of individual variation or as the effects 
of climate or environment. Under certain climatic con- 
ditions and in response to favorable edaphic influences 
the flower scape may elongate rapidly. ‘Torsion in the 
rachis then becomes so regulated that secund flowers 
with closely imbricating bracts are the rule rather than 
the exception (cf. Plate III, fig. 3). If floral develop- 
ment is hastened by climatic conditions, the period of 
anthesis coincides with the maturing of the foliage. In 
Florida, where the spring approaches with a rush and 
vegetation becomes suddenly active, S. gracilis var. flor- 
idana has its commonly secund flowers fully open before 
the leaves have had time to attain maturity. This hap- 
pens also in the northern area of distribution for the spe- 
cies. It would be a very simple matter to pick out dried 
specimens of JS. gracilis from Nova Scotia and dried speci- 
mens of var. floridana from Florida which would be so 
alike in floral and vegetative aspects that even expert 
botanists, without helpful labels to assist them, would 
be unable to tell these variants apart. 
It would seem that in his treatment of Spiranthes tu- 
berosa Raf. Professor Fernald has added measurably to 
the ‘‘muddle”’ he attributed to Lindley, inasmuch as S. 
tuberosa Raf., sensu Fernald (like S. Beckit Lindl.) is 
‘*concocted from elements of several different species.” 
In view of the difficulty experienced in properly apply- 
ing the name S. tuberosa Rat., without a type specimen 
to guide us, it would seem preferable to abandon it, and 
to use 8. Grayi Ames and S. gracilis (Bigel.) Beck var. 
floridana(W herry) Correll for the two elements involved. 
[ 22 ] 
