8 ' J. M. Macfarlane. — Sarraceniaceae. 



be explained as a peltate leaf-fusion , with the edges turned out. Such a condition is 

 frequent in S. minor, another proof that it is a primitive type, and that in this it 

 approximates to Heliamphora pitcher, with its distinct laminar halves. 



The midrib is prolonged beyond the level of the pitcher rim, as a broad flattened 

 expanse — the neck — and continued upward it bears two distinct laminar lobes, that 

 form with it the lid. More or less divergent opinions from the above, have been held 

 by several writers, but in view of the thorough studies by Kr äfft on Heliamphora, that 

 confirm the present writer's observations, and from additional recent studies by him, 

 the above seems to him the only exact and connected explanation that can be held. 



Only one crop of foliage leaves may be produced annually, and all of these may 

 be pitchered, as in S. minor and S. rubra, or two crops of pitchered leaves may be 

 formed, that differ markedly in shape , as in S. psittacina (Fig. 3 b, c) when the plant 

 is grown in its native haunts , or in hot bright sunlight. Then a Spring set develops 

 with short rather wide pitchers, and enlarged areolate hood of a bright color. . These 

 persist for fully a year. But in front of them an Autumn set is formed (Fig. 3 G), 

 in which each leaf consists of a long narrow pitcher with small hood, and of a wide 

 median wing directed vertically upwards. In the native haunts of this species, where 

 warm bright suns prevail from March to November, the alternating succession of dimorphic 

 pitchers is pronounced, but in colder and less sunny regions, the two are apt to run 

 into each other. In S. Drummondii pitchered leaves alone are developed in Spring, 

 and last tili October or November. But in September a new crop is produced, half 

 of which may be pitchered, and half may be laminar phyllodia. These persist tili April 

 or May of the next season. But in S. flava the most pronounced dimorphism in foliage 

 leaves is seen. The leaves of Spring are all pitchered, but they become gray-brown 

 and withered by September, in the native haunts of the species. During August and 

 September laminar phyllodia unfold, that have been formed in the bud during early 

 Summer. These remain green throughout the Winter and into May and June of the 

 next season. S. Sledgei in behavior is intermediate between S. minor and S. flava. 



Coolness, shade, and abundant moisture are all cooperating environmental factors 

 in reducing the pitcher cavity, and in stimulating the formation of the laminar wing. 

 Mention of these factors leads to the «onsideration of the color assumed by pitchered 

 leaves. In S. purpurea and 8. psittacina these are of a deep claret-crimson hue, 

 when fully exposed to bright suns during a large part of the year, but such tend to 

 be smaller than others grown in the shade. The shaded plänts may vary from greenish 

 crimson to green in exact ratio to the degree and density of the shade. When plants, 

 that were originally richly colored in the wild state, are grown under shadier conditions, 

 the new leaves assume a greener hue. Similarly, while the pitchers of S. rubra, S. 

 flava, S. minor and S. Sledgei are green or yellowish green, growth in very sunny 

 and rather dry places often causes them to be reddish-green to red-yellow. But some 

 peculiar and as yet inexplicable variations occur. Thus in not a few localities of the 

 Southern States visited by the writer, all transitions have been noted in plants of 

 S. flava that grew indiscriminately together, from pale yellow-green to the dark crimson 

 sport atro-sanguinea. Equally puzzling is the color-variation in S. Sledgei, which in 

 the same open savannah may vary from yellowish green to a uniform dark claret. 

 Possibly such may indicate long continued and hereditary color acquisition from indi- 

 viduals that originally grew under different environmental conditions, but the rapid 

 changes shown under cultivation seem to weaken such a conclusion. S. flava is the 

 species that shows greatest color Variation , and so has received a greater number of 

 varietal names than the others, especially from horticulturists. In all other morpho- 

 logical details it is a very constant species. 



The third type of vegetative leaf is the «laminar phyllodium». This seems never 

 to be produced in S. minor and S. rubra, is rarely formed in S. Sledgei and 

 S. psittacina, is occasional in shaded plants of S. purpurea (when it gives rise to 

 Eaton's variety or supposed species heterophylla), is about as abundant as the autumnal 



