OAKESIA CONRADII. § 



tufted stamens, tipped with brown-purple anthers, are principally 

 conspicuous, and are persistent for a considerable period. It then 

 has the aspect of some Diosma, rather than of a Heath or a 

 Crowberry. The fertile flowers are by no means showy, except 

 when clusters are found which exhibit stamens as well as pistils, 

 which is not unusual. In this case, however, few of the flowers 

 are really perfect. For, when the pistil is well formed, the stamens 

 are commonly more or less reduced, either by the suppression, par- 

 tially or completely, of one cell of the anther, or by the reduction 

 of one or more of the filaments to mere vestiges. Three cases of 

 this sort, selected from a full series of such analyses, are represented 

 in Figures 6, 7, and 8. The fertilized flowers are succeeded in the 

 course of the summer by clusters of small and juiceless drupes, 

 which, by the proliferous growth of the shoots of the season, now 

 usually appear to be lateral ; as is shown in the right-hand figure 

 of the accompanying plate. The full generic character already 

 given, the explanation of the plate, which comprises the more requi- 

 site analyses, very carefully drawn by Mr. Sprague, together with the 

 ensuing historical and critical observations, render a further detailed 

 description of the plant unnecessary. 



Dr. Torrey, in the article above cited in which this plant was 

 first made known, has recorded the history of its discovery, by the 

 late Professor Solomon W. Conrad, near Pemberton Mills, about 

 ten miles from Burlington, New Jersey, and subsequently by the 

 late Mr. Rafinesque at Cedar Bridge, in Monmouth county of the 

 same State ; from which locality Dr. Torrey himself obtained a 

 supply of living specimens. It has since been detected by Dr. 

 Knieskern at other localities in the " Pine barrens " of New Jer- 

 sey. Recognizing in this plant an interesting accession to the small 

 family Empetracece, Dr. Torrey referred it, though with some hesi- 



