1886. ] BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 217 
BRIEFER ARTICLES. 
Notes on Ariswma triphyllum.—Last year I called attention in the Ga- 
ferences were associated with its sexual characteristics, or were really such as 
to mark a distinct variety. It so happened that I found myself where they 
were abundantly in bloom, and the notes seem worth recording. In the one case 
are leaves pale green above and glaucous beneath. In the other the leaves are 
thin and look green on both sides. On this occasion I found them in large num- 
bers, and both forms growing together. Many of them seemed intermediate, and 
it was difficult to decide to which section they belonged. A large bundle was 
collected, taking care to gather them pretty much as they ran. There was no 
trouble in selecting the two extremes, and these, when selected, looked very dis- 
tinct. These, and the intermediates, made the three sets. Then it was seen that 
the wholly green-leaved ones were mostly very vigorous, the stems in some in- 
stances being half an inch thick, and they had rarely any but female flowers— 
an occasional male flower only among the hundreds of females. Those with 
the gray under surface were mostly males, and the plants small—the stems 
rarely thicker than a lead pencil. Only in rare instances were females present, 
and these but very few in the spathes, where they were found at all. In the in- 
termediates only were the moncecious forms found, and in all these females pre- 
ponderated,—indeed, the male flowers in these cases were always largely in the 
minority. The species is, in fact, so far as this locality, near Philadelphia, is 
concerned, almost wholly diccious. I think the pollen in these technically 
moneecious flowers can be of little service, and the plants must be practically 
uni-sexual, In a half day of wandering through the wood, no insect was seen 
among the flowers, nor could any trace be found indicating their visits. 
structure of the spathe is not favorable to the reception of much pollen through 
the aid of the wind, though the pollen structure would indicate an anemophi- 
lous class. What the plant gains by this division of the sexes, in any effort to 
secure cross-fertilization, is difficult to determine. Indeed, fertilization of any 
kind must be rare, for seldom have I been able to find specimens with fruit in this 
district. But the species has been well able to distribute itself, for it is found 
over a wide area. The spathes vary from a pale green to a brown purple. The 
stems also show a diversity of color. This has no sexual significance—the same 
varying shades being found in the three separate sets. Indeed, in the strong 
plants with the wholly female flowers, the capitate stigma, with its innumerable 
minute capillaries, would sometimes be of a beautiful rose, while in other 
spathes they would be wholly white. The texture and shades of the leaves seem 
to have relation to sex—but not so with color.—THomas ME ‘ 
