132 KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



PARASITISM IN APHYLLON UNIFLORUM. 



By JOHN M. PRICE, Jr., Atchison, Kan. 



The question how the Aphyllon uniflorum, or naked broom-rape, obtains 

 its nourishment was asked in our botany class of the past year. This plant 

 is peculiar in that it has no green parts, and it was not known to be parasitic. 

 The botanies in our college library gave us no information upon this point. 



Upon careful investigation, the writer found it to be a parasite. From the 

 stem of the plant branch off small fleshy roots of from 6 to 18 inches in 

 length, and these have, at short intervals, hook-like projections. These hooks 

 touch against the roots of other plants, and it is through this channel that 

 the Aphyllon obtains its nourishment. Considerable difficulty was experienced 

 in securing specimens showing the hooks touching against the roots of other 

 plants, as they were exceedingly tender and easily broken, but at length the 

 writer obtained several specimens which removed all doubt in his mind. 



These hooks do not wrap themselves aroimd the roots upon which they 

 are parasitic, nor even encircle them, but they simply touch against the 

 roots and in general with the back or convex surface of the bend. 



The Aphyllon appears to be parasitic upon many species of plants, but the 

 three most frequently found were the asters, solidagos, and gramineae. 



LONG CONTINUED BLOOMING OF ''MALVASTRUM 

 COCCINEUM." 



By MINNIE REED. 



One of the most common wild flowers in western Kansas is Malvastrum 

 coccineum, or false mallow. Its bright blossoms may be seen from earliest 

 spring until the late fall frosts have killed the last green leaf. From May 

 until October you can collect fine blooming specimens of this plant. How it 

 retains its vitality, and continues blooming so long in such a dry climate is 

 a mystery; yet there are the bright orange-pink flowers, seeds and thrifty 

 leaves growing all through the long, dry, hot summer. There is no other 

 plant in this region that has such a long blooming period. Even here in 

 eastern Kansas there are very few, if any, plants that bloom so long; even 

 plants in the same order or family. Our familiar hollyhock does not bloom- 

 more than two months, ordinarily. 



This plant, like many others in this diT region, is covered with a rather 

 coarse, hoary pubescence, to diminish evaporation and protect it from the 

 sudden changes of temperature so common on the plains. 



It is an herbaceous perennial, low growing or prostrate in habit, with five- 

 parted or pedate leaves. It bears racemes of rather showy orange-pink 

 flowers. The plants are usually from six inches to a foot in diameter, though 

 sometimes larger. It usually grows in places where the buffalo grass has 

 been killed out, as along old roads, in fields, or on gopher hillocks. There 

 are many of our garden plants far less attractive than this western wild 

 flower. Its bright flowers contrast pleasingly with its rough grayish foliage, 

 and it brightens up the wide expanse of monotonous buffalo grass consider- 

 ably, especially in early spring and summer, when it is most abundant. It 

 might be well to add it to our list of cultivated ornamental plants. 



