5 2 ° 



BOTANICAL GAZETTE 



[DECEMBER 



The phenomenon of fasciation is not rare among plants, though 

 it is not often reported for those having woody stems. Mani- 

 festly, the disturbing features, whatever they may be, which 

 produced "banding" or "bundling" must have been considerably 

 more pronounced in the wooded stems of cottonwoods, ash, willow, 

 and other woody plants than they are in herbaceous stems of seed- 

 lings of pumpkin, young stems of thistles, floral axes of coxcomb, 

 stems of asparagus, and other fasciated herbs. 



?$: 



^^^Ui 



* Y* 







*# 



V 



t 



* * 



■■ .:> 



tm 



** 





% 





s-v 



Fig. 3 



Fig. 4 



Figs. 3, 4. — Parts of the stem section showing the relation of the cortex ridges 

 with phloem, xylem, and pith; X 13; fig. 4, section showing more clearly the relation 

 indicated in fig. 3; X 25. 



The number of atmospheres of pressure requisite for the flatten- 

 tig of a wooded stem corresponding to the cottonwood shown in 

 he accompanying section (figs. 3 and 4) has not been determined, 

 t is evident, however, that an enormous molecular disturbance 

 vould be required in order to change the molecular arrangement 

 irhich caused the disturbance of radial symmetry of these woody 

 terns. In seeking for the cause of the energy release which was 

 xpressed by this modification of symmetry, one naturally inquires 



chemical and phvsical factors nrv 



With reference 



chemical factors it seems evident that the stumps of the 



com 



