A, Gray— Germination of the genus Megarrhiza. 21 
ologists who have given no little attention to the subject. 
In preparing the materials for this article I have been assisted 
by Mr. Edward S. Cowles, Ph.D., a graduate of Yale College of 
the class of 1873. 
—___. 
Art. I.—The Germination of the genus MeGARRHIZA, Torr. ; 
by Asa if 
present imperfect knowledge of this genus of big-rooted Cucur- 
bi | our Pacific coast. For the extraordinary peculiarity 
m question, being one which, in other cases, is 
exhibit itself in certain species of a genus (as in Anemone 
and Delphinium), and not in others, so it may in the present 
give aid in distinguishing the five species which have 
€n characterized upon more or less incomplete or scanty 
aces 
»He rst species known was from Oregon; the specimens, 
being In slower: only, were referred in eke Flora Borealis 
Americana, i, 220, to Sicyos angulatus, but were separated in 
Torrey and Gray's Flora of North America, i, 542, under the 
name of Sicyos Oreganus. In the course of time it was found 
that there was a similar if not identical species in California, 
and oy. more than one, that they were perennial from 
arge and fleshy roots, that, while the flowers much 
resemble those of Mehinocystis, the seeds were turgid, mar- 
ginless, and with thick and fleshy cotyledons. Dr. Torrey, 
"pon whom the examination of these plants devolved, many 
