

* 



74 The Botanical Gazette. - (March, 



that seem never to have been noticed, besides several minor 

 points that are unrecorded, together with some slight errors 



h^ 1 -"^' »»iiu 0^111^ 3JLJl fe 



of observation or description. The proper statement of these 

 facts necessitates an account of the life historv. 



Synopsis of THE life history.— Hydrastis Canadensis 



is a perennial herb found growing in patches in rich open 

 hilly woods, and on the slopes along the wooded bluffs and 

 secondary banks of streams. The seed naturally sown after 



J 



not germin- 



ate until the following spring, about the last week in April, 



The plantlet consists of a pair of orbicu- 



M 



lar cotyledons on long spreading petioles, joined to a slender 

 radicle, and makes no further advance in growth the first year 

 of its life, other than the development of the cotyledons, to- 

 gether with the attached radicle, surmounted by a large bud. 

 The seed-leaves alone do dut V for foliage during the whole 



growing period of this stage of its existence. ' f 



The second year it sends up a single rounded, palmately- 

 lobed leaf on a footstalk articulated at the root. This stage 

 often persists through the third year; the plant then sends up 

 a larger radical leaf, with perhaps one or more smaller ones in 



addition. 



The third or fourth year the stem arises 15 to 3o or more 

 cm. high, haying two alternate leaves, with two-ranked ar- 

 rangement, the lower larger and petioled, the upper sessile at 



the junction of the peduncle of the flower with the stem of the 

 plant. 



it has thus thrc,- stages of growth, being acaulescent for two 

 or more years, and bearing fruit the third or fourth year. The 

 bud-scales found at the base of the stem are two-ranked, con- 

 dupiicate and equitant. Under certain conditions it prop- 

 agates itself by adventitious buds from fibrous roots. There 

 are also evident stipules. 



Detailed description First ***** w„ *• 



tv . , , - rirsi stage, duration one year. — 



I he cotyledons oil first appearing are bright emerald" green 

 glossy, oval, about 5 mm. broad and 6 mm. long. Thepeti- 

 oles are long and somewhat thickened; the radicle long and 

 slender - rh cotyledons attai n their full size in about three 



1 Rarely, in a very vigorous seedling, a small r,rfi„i u, T~ 7~~~ 



stalk will be sent op late in June or earlv in I i , leaf . on a short f ° 0t " 

 where seedlings have been transn anted at ™ J V nd als ° »> a few instances 

 location, a small radical leaf EfiSfS^ S&ft* a m ° r " ^ M 



r 8 Up. 



