ACTINOMERIS SQUARROSA. SQUARROSE ACTINOMERIS. I 55 



from " all ways at once." The same varying waves can be 

 noticed in the growth-currents of plants, and in this species we 

 have an illustration of the fitful current. We see that the 

 growth-force still retained considerable power in the first effort 

 at forming a flower-bud in the axil of the lowest leaf, and that 

 but little of this power was diverted to advance the reproduc- 

 tive development. The next bud in the series started with a 

 good amount of growth-force, but was suddenly arrested, and 

 the growth-force being converted into reproductive force at this 

 point, the result was that the flowers here formed were stronger, 

 and therefore opened sooner than those in the axil below, which 

 had been produced by a weaker developing power. The next 

 wave after this vigorous arrest moved slowly, and resulted, at the 

 next bract, in a very weak head of flowers ; but before its final 

 arrest the growth-force again gathered more strength, and a 

 much stronger cluster was therefore the last achievement of its 

 activity. The student can thus trace the fitfulness of the 

 growth-wave through the whole development of the plant. We 

 see it distinctly in the leaves, which sometimes appear in threes, 

 sometimes opposite, and sometimes alternate, all on the same 

 plant. Our Fig. 4 is a part of the stem with an opposite pair 

 of leaves, while the bracts on the flower-branch, Fig. 1, are alter- 

 nate. The leaves run down below the point of junction with 

 the stem, or, as the botanists say, they are decurrent, and this 

 gives the stem a four-angled appearance, with green, leafy wings 

 on the angles. 



There are several species of Actinomcris. The present one, 

 A. squarrosa, has been long known, and is described by Lin- 

 naeus as Coreopsis altcrnifolia. As a cultivated plant, it has 

 been in English gardens for perhaps two hundred and fifty 

 years, and it must have been among the first of our native 

 flowers to make the acquaintance of the botanists of the Old 

 World. 



In Actinomcris squarrosa the specific or last name signifies 

 jagged or spreading, in reference to the spreading tips of the 



