Miscellaneous. 341 
that the aquatic plants have the most extended area. Setting 
books aside, I have been able to follow this species from station to 
station, by means of the authentic specimens deposited in the her- 
baria, in Asia, Oceania, Africa, and America. In Africa it extends 
without interruption from Bone (in Algeria) to the Cape of Good 
Hope, over 61 degrees of latitude, and in longitude from the mouths 
of the Senegal to the islands of Mauritius and Réunion—that is to 
say, over 73 degrees. In Asia I have myself collected this plant in 
the marshes of Alexandretta in Syria, and it may be traced into 
India as far as Ceylon, and across the archipelago of the Philippines 
and the Sunda Islands as far as the south of Australia. This area 
includes 112 degrees of longitude and 73 degrees of latitude. In 
America the extreme points are, in the north Kentucky, and in the 
south the Rio de la Plata, giving 72 degrees ; and from east to west 
Mexico and Bahia, or 60 degrees of longitude. 
Thus Jussie@a repens occupies a broad band passing all round the 
globe, of which the two extreme borders parallel to the equator, in 
the northern and southern hemispheres, are distant each 35 degrees 
from the equinoctial line. 
Further investigations pursued in the same spirit will probably 
show that this example is not isolated; and already M. Ernest Cos- 
son* has indicated an aquatic grass, Leersia hevxandra, Swartz, the 
geographical extension of which is not less, and its botanical syno- 
nymy equally complicated.—Comptes Rendus, 9th July, 1866, 
pp. 39-41. 
Note on a Regular Dimerous Flower of Cypripedium candidum. 
By Asa Gray. 
Mr. J. A. Paine, junr., of New York, who two years ago de- 
tected an interesting monstrosity of Pogonia ophioglossoides, has 
now brought to me, preserved in spirit, a monstrous blossom of 
Cypripedium candidum, which demands a record. 
The plant bears two flowers: the axillary one is normal; the 
terminal one exhibits the following peculiarities. The lower part of 
the bract forms a sheath which encloses the ovary. The labellum 
is wanting ; and there are two sterile stamens, the supernumerary 
one being opposite the other, z. e. on the side of the style where the 
labellum belongs. Accordingly the first impression would be that 
the labellum is here transformed into a sterile stamen. The latter, 
however, agrees with the normal sterile stamen in its insertion as 
well as in shape, being equally adnate to the base of the style. 
Moreover the anteposed sepal is exactly like the other, has a good 
midrib and an entire point. As the two sterile stamens are ante- 
posed to the two sepals, so are the two fertile stamens to the two 
petals, and the latter are adnate to the style a little higher than the 
former. The style is longer than usual, is straight and erect; the 
broad, disciform stigma therefore faces upwards; it is oval and 
symmetrical, and a light groove across its middle shows it to be 
* Flore Algérienne, 4to, t. i. p. 18. 
