J. M. Macfarlanc. — Sarraceniaceae. 17 



The securing of such rieh nutritive supplies must be of value to these plants, if 

 such supplies can be properl j and judiciously utilized. But the conclusion reached by 

 many writers that the absorbent root System is not sufficiently vigorous or wide spread 

 to enable them to obtain a sufficient supply from the soil, seems scarcely justified from 

 a careful study of that System. The added contention however, that the soil around 

 is relatively poor in available nitrogenous Compounds is probably correct. All of the 

 species flourish only when growing in a fine black but somewhat sandy silt. A fibrous 

 or coarse soil is eminently unsuitable. But apart altogether from the capacity to absorb 

 animal matter through the pitcher wall, or crude sap through the fine rootlets, a certain 

 advantage must undoubtedly be gained for the plant, by the decay of the older pitchers 

 in which the remains of the insects still are. In this manner the roots will secure 

 a slight remaining amount of what the leaves may have failed to absorb, a view that 

 has been suggested by several writers. 



Before the pitchers open (Fig. 1 &') , and while they are hermetically sealed 

 even against passage of air, a slight amount of rather thick viscous clear liquid is 

 found in the bottoms of the pitchers, specially of S. flava and S. Drummondii. This 

 can be seen to exude, in part from the pitcher wall, in part from the more deeply 

 placed glands when such are present, as in S. minor. After the pitchers have opened 

 this liquid may be added to by the entrance of rain water, except in S. minor, and 

 to a less degree in S. psittacina. The nature and action of this secretion have been 

 variously interpreted. While the liquid that appears as fine droplets on the lid, on 

 the margin of the orifice, and even over the upper part of the condueting surface, is 

 sweet to the taste, that exereted from glands on the lower condueting surface, on the 

 glandulär surface in S. purpurea, and on the detentive surface in S. minor and S. psitta- 

 cina is tasteless. Mellichamp showed that it is mucilaginous and astringent, also that 

 it hastens decomposition, though he failed to trace any digestive action. Hook er and 

 most sueeeeding observers aeeepted Mellichamp's position. The experiments of Gies 

 are too fragmentary, and were only made on the macerated pitcher substance, which 

 might well contain several intrinsic ferments, none of which may normally be exereted. 

 Recently Fenn er has stated, from observations which are by no means conclusive that 

 " Sarraeenia flava ist als Insektivor mit verdauendem Enzym zu betrachten". Experiments 

 have yet to be undertaken for the genus, in as careful a manner as for NepentJies by 

 Clautriau and Vines, before a final decision can be reached. No ferment substance 

 has been traced in the pitchers of Darlingtonia , and Edwards considered that de- 

 composition alone took place. 



In striking contrast to the relation of other insects is the behavior to Sarraeenia 

 of certain species found along the Eastern States, as also of a species in California to 

 Darlingtonia. Mellichamp observed and carefully traced the presence, in the tubes 

 of S. minor, of a larva that was later studied and identified by Riley as Xanthoptei'a 

 [Exyrd) semicrocea. The adult insects deposit eggs in the tubes, and on hatching the 

 striped brown and white larva in each spins a fine web across the mouth or some 

 deeper part of the tube, so as to seal it up. As the larva grows it greedily gnaws away 

 the internal epidermis and the mesophyll tissue, and leaves only the external discolored 

 epidermis in irregulär patches. The larval exerement forms brown pellets among the 

 decaying insects in the bottom of the pitcher, and near these, on one side of the wall, 

 an oval cocoon is spun, inside which the chrysalis moults into a small moth that 

 in time emerges from the tube. This insect frequents S. Sledgei, S. minor and 

 8. flava most abundantly, and in frequency aecording to the order given. It may also 

 inhabit S. Drummondii, but is rarest in S. purpurea and S. psittacina. It often destroys 

 all or most of the pitchers in the three species first named, to such an extent that it 

 is difficult in some localities to find good herbarium speeimens. Such was the writer's 

 experience recently. in Mississippi. Aecording to F. M. Jones two other moths, related 

 to the last, Exyra Ridingsii and E. Rolandiana inhabit the pitchers of S. flava and 

 8. purpurea respectively. They show similar habits to the above. 



A. Engler, Das Pflanzenreich. IV. (Embryophyta siphonogama) 110. 2 



