1897 | A NEW QUILLWORT 33 
for when in the deepest water it is surrounded by such a tangle 
of Graminez, Junci and Scirpi, that it is detected only by its 
long floating leaves, when shorter leaved forms would pass 
unobserved. 
In common, I think, with all amphibious species of this 
genus native to New England and growing under the conditions 
mentioned, this species has two sets of leaves, differing somewhat 
in structure, but especially in dimensions, the longer constituting 
its spring dress when submerged, and the shorter its summer 
dress when living in the air and exposed to open sunlight. The 
vernal leaves are very long, sometimes attaining the length of 
28, but as I haveseen them only in early summer, when by 
the falling of the water their upper portion was floating and 
decaying, I am not sure what position they assume when wholly 
submerged, but I suppose they are erect spreading. 
By further recession of the water, these vernal leaves become 
prostrate and soon decay to the base, which usually remains 
covering the sporangium, the spores maturing only when for 
some weeks exposed to the air and sunlight. The plant now 
produces within the old a new set of leaves which, excepting 
the central ones, are nearly decumbent, the matured spores and — 
dead portions being gradually thrown off by the downward : 
lateral growth of the corm. These zstival leaves are from Ste ie 
6 long, with a more or less pronounced lateral curvature which 
serves to distinguish this plant from the larger forms of J. 
Engelmanni. The outermost of these zstival leaves are found 
late in the season to include at their bases matured apenas 
toes fact, on es sears canes the pl: : Pa nes 
