1895.] Briefer Articles. 169 
leaving nothing but the empty bract; while the pods of the long ones 
increase in size and mature an abund- 
iF 
spikes are interrupted as shown in Fig. r. 
In the fertile flowers the sepals, petals 
and stamens are dropped usually on the 
second day. This phenomenon was con- 
stant in all the numerous spikes I have 
observed this summer. 
For twenty-four hours before the flower 
opens the long stamens and pistils begin 
to bow downwards and backward and 
CLEOME SPINOSA. 
Fig. 1. A regularly interrupted spike. 
Fig. 2. A flower bearing a fertile pis- 
til; taken at 10 a. M. whenit had begun 
to wilt. X 4. 
i commence to protrude in a doubled 
up condition above the point where 
the petals are wanting on the lower 
margin of the torus, their upper ends being held down by the convo- 
lutely folded petals until shortly after sunset. At this time the petals 
gradually unfold and liberate the stamens and pistil. The pistil 
