1893.] Botanical Notes from Bainbridge. 459 
In the oldest plants the straightening out below the tip 
does not keep pace with the development of the axis about 
the tip, or its increase in length, so that the tip beyond this 
curvature is greatly thickened, producing a sort of tuberous 
tootstock. The general effect of this thickened end is that 
of the bowl of a short Dutch pipe, of which the older, longer 
end, tapering towards the initial extremity near the surface 
of the ground, represents part of the pipe-stem. The root- 
stocks of this palmetto may therefore be said to grow indi- 
rectly downwards into the soil, and they are not hauled down 
backwards as a whole, as is the case with so many other ver- 
tical rootstocks. 
Notes on Leguminosae, 
1. Changes in color of flowers.—The genus Tephrosia per- 
mits several interesting though not striking remarks on the 
changes of colors in flowers. T. spicata T. & G. has pure 
white flowers when fresh, turning purple on fading. T. am- 
bigua Curtis has white flowers, the veins and the midrib of 
the keel, except toward the margins, being colored almost 
tusset red. The flowers very soon became tinged light pink 
or rose, and on fading also turn purple. 7. hispidula 
Pursh. is described as having purple flowers. It is evident 
that the chemical substances giving rise to the purple color 
ate present in all these flowers, but they are differentiated at 
different times. In the first species this does not take place 
until the time of fading. Inthe second it has taken place 
in the veins when the flower opens, and soon begins in a 
mild way over the entire surface of the petals. In the last 
Species the differentiation of this purple coloring matter has 
“n completed before the flower blossoms. 
It may perhaps also be inferred that this purple coloring 
matter (stable only under more vigorous conditions of the 
‘he forming the petals) is due to the breaking up of prev- 
eusly ‘existing chemical compounds, owing toa sort of process 
«disintegration or decay, since the change towards a purple 
rior in the first two species takes place either at the time of 
iad or at least is, in the second species, strongly accentu- 
rac at that time. The inflorescence consists of peduncl 
. am which are terminal. By the development of ise 20° 
in ag axils of the last leaf, a sympodial growth ensues, whic 
€ case of 7. ambigua may give rise to a number of 
