170 rochester academy of science. [dec. 12, 



December 12, 1892. 



stated business meeting. 



The President, Professor H. L. Fairchild, in the chair. 

 A small number of members present. 



The Council report recommended that the Secretary assume the 

 clerical duties of the Treasurer, and receive an annual compensation 

 of $200. 



Action was deferred until next meeting. 



The President introduced Mr. Heinrich Ries, of the New York 

 State Geological Survey, who gave a short talk on 



THE CLAYS OF NEW YORK STATE. 

 Miss Florence Beckwith read the following paper : 

 VARIATION OF RAY-FLOWERS IN RUDBECKIA HIRTA. 



The first and principal variation to which attention is called is 

 that of dark marks at the base of the ray-flowers. (See plate 11.) 



In the summer of 1891, I found in a field, in the town of Gates, 

 near Rochester, a few blossoms of Rudbeckia hirta, L, which differed 

 from the normal type (fig. i) in having a band of dark color at the 

 base of the rays. This variation had never before been noticed by any 

 of the members of the Botanical Section or by other local botanists to 

 whom the flowers were shown. In 1892 the same field was again visited 

 and more blossoms showing the same variation were found. This sea- 

 son a number of flowers with different markings were gathered, and 

 these specimens seemed to form a well marked series. In some (fig. 2) 

 there were only faint lines, like pencilings, at the base of the rays ; in 

 others (fig. 3) the lines were heavier and darker, the center line some- 

 times extending from the base to the apex of the ray ; others showed 

 small brown spots at the base ; the rays of some of the heads (fig. 4) 

 were all more or less shaded with brown ; some (fig. 5) showed a 

 band of orange ; and at last the series culminated in specimens (fig. 8) 

 in which the band at the base of the rays was as distinct and as dark 

 in color as in Coreopsis. As the band grew more distinct in color the 

 flowers decreased in size, those showing the darkest coloring being not 

 much larger than the blossoms of Coreopsis. This observation corres- 

 ponds to what may be seen in some other genera of the Compositse. 



