150 Proceedings of ] ndiuiia Acadony of Science. 



meut of leaves of Specuhiria perfoliata the circuuifereiiee of the stem was 

 divided up equally for the leaf insertion. 



Among the large number of the plants above mentioned, however, I saw 

 five other specimens of Speeularia perfoliata which looked somewhat differ- 

 ent from the others. On examining these more closely I fomid them to 

 have more leafy stems and by counting the leaves in a si)iral as I did with 

 tlie others I found that there were five leaves to a spiral counting the first 

 one instead of the usual four of the other plants. Also I saw in these 

 specimens, that it was necessary to make four circuits of tiie stem, instead 

 of three as in the other plants before I found a leaf which stood directly 

 over the first leaf with wliich the count was begun. The five specimens, 

 just mentioned, of Speeularia perfoliata grew about the center of a con- 

 siderable number of other siM^cimens of tlie same species as well as other 

 plants. They were some larger than other specimens of the same spe- 

 cies, but attracted my attention at close range first on account of the fact 

 that they were some taller than the others and then on account of their 

 denser foliage. The leaves of the.se 'specimens also divided the circumfere:i. e 

 of the stem equally as regards the insertion of the leaves. Those five 

 plants having the greater number of leaves showed therefore a very delicate 

 balance and arrangement with reference to the light which is extremely 

 Important for leaves of autotrophic plants. 



