Scale-Leaves of Lathrea squamaria. By W. H. Oilhurt. 741 



secretion and absorption, take place alternately, as in other plants 

 wliere similar organs are found, and similar secretions are poured 

 out. 



That the purpose served by these organs is of advantage to the 

 plant cannot for a moment be doubted, and that it should be in any 

 other way than nutrition is difficult to suppose ; and if this be so, 

 we must conclude that it is the decaying organic matter in the soil 

 which is appropriated by the plant, being dissolved by the acid 

 solution so copiously poured out, as inorganic substances could not 

 be assimilated in the absence of light. 



Of course if this be the case, Lathrea must in future be re- 

 garded as but partially parasitic — a view which was, I believe, held 

 by Henfrey, on account of the fact that it is often found possessing 

 roots. That Lathrea does sometimes develop adventitious roots 

 abundantly is without doubt, I having a longitudinal section of the 

 end of a secondary stem about half an inch in length, in which 

 eleven such roots are shown in section. Whether these roots are to 

 be regarded as such, functionally, or only as organs of attachment 

 to the host, I am not quite prepared to say. In a portion of a 

 plant which I attempted to grow in a garden pot independent of a 

 host — and in which some amount of growth took place — a large 

 number of thin and delicate roots were developed from the inter- 

 nodes of the stem nearest the summit. The plant, however, 

 perished during the severe frosts of last winter. 



