J. M. Macfarlane. — Sarraceniaceae. 3 



rarely formed on the main roots, but the mature roots of S. Sledgei have these in 

 moderate quantity. The short bent side rootlets, that are abundantly formed by the 

 main roots, are from 3 — 6 mm long, of uniform thickness, and are devoid of root 

 hairs. Absorption of crude sap must therefore be effected by the soft general surface 

 of the rootlets, as in some swamp and aquatic plants. The growth duration of the 

 roots is strictly limited. A new set is formed annually on mature rhizomes, to the 

 number of 5 — 8. These have attained füll growth by the close of the season, but 

 they continue to function for six to seven years as food storers. Gradual decay then 

 sets in, so that large rhizomes of S. flava or S. Drummondii that measure 25 — 30 cm 

 long, only show functional roots over their anterior \ 5 cm. In color the mature roots 

 of Sarraeenia are yellow-brown to red-brown, from a pigment present in the cavities 

 and walls of the epidermal cells. The interior is white, from the abundant starch and 

 protein substance that are stored in them up to the period of decay. 



The epicotyl or young stem, during the first füll season of growth, forms a small 

 swelling in S. purpurea, S. psittaeina, and S. rubra, that consists of nodes to which the 

 amplexicaul bases of the leaves are attached. In S. Sledgei, S. flava and S. Drum- 

 mondii the swelling may be as large as a pea. From its lower and lateral surfaces 

 the adventitious roots arise. In subsequent years horizontal growth and increasing 

 enlargement of the axis give rise to the mature rhizome that is typical of each species. 

 This may continue to grow horizontally for at least twenty to thirty years, and during 

 the period it may give off a few lateral subterranean buds, which may develop into 

 separate plants by formation of roots and leaves, followed by decay of the parent axis 

 up to their points of origin. The rhizomes may attain a length of from 6 — 7 cm in 

 S. rubra and S. psittaeina to 30 cm in S. flava and S. Drummondii. The older end 

 decays slowly, the middle portion shows only leaf scars and decaying roots, the anterior 

 end shows decaying, fresh and developing leaves along with functional roots. Each 

 rhizome is made up of closely applied nodes, from which spring the leaves and flowers, 

 both of which are inserted into it by broad shallow amplexicaul bases, that ensheath 

 the axis for three-fourths to seven-eighths of its circumference. Rarely in S. purpurea 

 and S. psittaeina, when growing in soft swamps or in water, the internodes of lateral 

 branches may elongate, so as to distribute the leaves at distances of 5 — 15 mm apart. 

 The leaves arise in spiral series around the growing apex, and on withering each forms 

 a scar on the rhizome that is widest at the middle region of insertion, and that narrows 

 out toward the margins. The broken ends of the leaf-trace bundles appear as minute 

 brown spots over each scar. These consist of a double row of vascular bundles — an 

 anterior and a posterior — so disposed that any two bundles of one row alternate 

 with those of the other. Only toward the margins of the scar is one row indicated. 

 The cicatrix left by each withered flower stalk is similar to those of the leaves, but 

 is deeper in its attaching surface. 



The stem in Darlingtonia forms slightly more elongated internodes than in Sarra- 

 eenia, so that the leaf bases are less crowded together, while the leaves start from it 

 in more oblique direction. Perennial growth proeeeds for at least \0 — \ 5 years, ac- 

 companied by slow decay behind. Lateral branches are occasionally formed as in 

 Sarraeenia, but these rapidly lengthen out from the parent axis, by the formation of 

 internodes 2 — 3 cm long, and of nodes from which spring a sheathing scale leaf and 

 a root. At the extremities of such branches leaf rosettes and roots arise. In two or 

 three years each rosette becomes a separate plant that shows slow growth of the 

 rhizome, and that bears crowded leaves. The roots and rhizomes alike are of a cin- 

 namon- brown to dark brown color, from pigmentation of the epidermal cells only. 



The leaves are complex morphologically. Varied and often widely divergent views 

 have been expressed during the past hundred years regarding these. St. Hilaire, 

 Duchartre, Lindley, Baillon, A. Gray, Zipperer, Macfarlane, Goebel and 

 Krafft have advanced their own views, and often reviewed those of their predecessors. 

 The following aecount is set forth by the writer as that which seems most in agreement 



