NOTES ON ALABAMA PLANTS 125 
scape, and pure white specimens are more rarely found. 
Frequently, scapes of lighter shades turn in course of 
time, into darker shades of red, while scales and bracts 
often, sooner or later, lose their succulent-waxy texture, 
becoming membranous, and fade to a grayish or yellow- 
ish brown. In such a state, especially in cases where numer- 
ous scales and the bracts are densely imbricated, the plant 
assumes an exsiccated appearance. This is to a great extent 
an individual character but it is frequently caused or further- 
ed by meteorological factors, especially drought. The sepals 
retain the succulent character and original color longer, often 
till, or during time of anthesis, while the corolla, growing 
to fulness only shortly before the flowers expand, exhibits 
always a fine appearance as to color and texture in anthesis. 
Its tube is mostly of a slightly darker shade than the color of 
the plant in general and the lobes are white-margined. Indi- 
viduals which in state of anthesis exhibit all their parts in 
the original freshness of color and texture represent beauti- 
ful specimens, especially those of lighter shades and the pure 
white ones. The surface of all parts has a slightly polished 
waxy lustre which adds to the fine appearance of the plant. 
The odor of the fresh flowers is that of cloves. In a specimen 
of peculiar beauty all the parts were of a light lavender, 
but the centers of the petals were dark blue or almost bluish- 
black, and contrasted strongly against the snow-white margin 
of the lobes. The plant finally becomes black with the excep- 
tion of seales, bracts and sepals, in case these have changed 
color and texture beforehand, and the plant now assumes a 
disagreeable sour odor. 
Cryptophila pudica may be considered a moderately rare 
plant with regard to its occurrence in this locality, although 
its hidden condition practically places it among the rarest 
plants. I’ must confess that neither I nor anyone else have 
ever come upon the plant under ordinary circumstances. 
It has been found only by way of raking the floor-cover of 
fallen leaves, which is a common practice among agricultur- 
ists of this region. As a result of such practice together with 
the felling of timber-trees, and partly of fires, the cover of 
leaves becomes too scant to prdvide effective shelter for the 
