NOTES ON ALABAMA PLANTS 121 
As a general rule scapes appear most frequently during the 
months of October-November, less frequently in December, 
and more rarely in September. The roots vegetate mainly 
about 1.5-2 em. beneath the surface of the ground, and adven- 
titious buds may be found at almost any time of the year. 
All parts of the plant are formed in the hypogaeus stage; 
scales and bracts reach more or less normal size but scapes 
and flower-buds become developed only to a certain extent; 
the flower-buds measure from 2-4 mm. at the time when the 
scapes emerge and are protected by the closely appressed 
bracts and bractlets. Secapes which appear above ground 
without having developed flower-buds in the hypogaeous stage 
do not, as far as observed, form such afterwards. The pro- 
cess of emergence requires a considerable space of time—from 
more than two to approximately five weeks. It is ac- 
complished through the growth of the scape, much like many 
seedlings emerge i. e., the scape describing a semi-circle 
thereby lifting the inflorescence in a drooping manner, which 
position the inflorescence retains during the whole winter. 
The scapes grow slowly to about normal size while the flower 
buds become fairly developed—sepals more or less to full size, 
corolla to about two-thirds of the full length. The winter is 
then passed by the plant in apparent dormancy till March or 
the approach of April. The proper month for anthesis is 
April but early flowering plants may be found in bloom in 
late, or in rare cases, as early as the middle of March; while 
on the other hand, stragglers may flower as late as early May. 
The fruit ripens in July or early August. 
Cryptophila pudica is never found freely exposed to the 
open. It grows, flowers and fruits under a cover of leaves 
which is twofold in character. The lower bulk, 2.5 to approx- 
imately 5 cm. thick is dense and consists of well settled fallen 
leaves accumulated during several successive years, and grad- 
ually decayed towards the lower strata, which are in contact 
and pass into the scant humus. These lower strata are gener- 
ally much interwoven by hyphae and are thus felt-like. The 
top cover is rather loose and consists mainly of fallen leaves 
shed during the previous season. The cover is an essential 
feature to the welfare of the plant. Without it, Cryptophila 
