374 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [DECEMBER 
ing species of Cecropia it is essential to compare leaves from plants 
of similar age classes, and, so far as possible, to avoid generaliza- 
tions based upon highly variable, transitional types of foliage, such 
as occur on saplings. 
Fic. 4.—Cecropia angulata: terminal shoot of old, slow growing tree, showing ? 
aments in different stages of development; X}*;.—Photograph by Joun TEE-VAN. 
Certain of the floral characters are variable, whereas others 
are relatively stable. The bracts which envelop the young inflor- 
escences are coated during the later stages of their development 
with dense, rufous tomentum, and are frosted with long white 
chairs. The male and female aments (text figs. 3, 4) vary in size 
