THE GALAX-LEAVED SHORTIA. 



mens, and its exact floral form could only be conjectured from that 

 of some near relatives and from some rude Japanese pictures of it. 

 Yet from the confidence which Dr. Gray and other eminent bota- 

 nists felt with regard to its probable form and family relationship, 

 we are reminded of that proverbial reconstruction of a whole animal 

 from the fragments of a tooth which is accredited to Cuvier, and 

 the building up of the form of a fish from a single scale, attributed 

 to the skill of Agassiz. 



Another ten years went by with no further light shed upon the 

 vexed question. But at last some additional facts transpired, and 

 in December, 1878, Dr. Gray could write, " Happily I can give the 

 character of the plant from an actual blossom. For I have now 

 received, at first indirectly from Mr. J. W. Congdon, and at length 

 directly from Mr. M. E. Hyams of Statesville, North Carolina, a 

 flowering specimen of the long sought Shortia glacifolia, collected 

 on a hill-side in McDowell county. North Carolina, in the district 

 I had indicated as the most probable locality, namely, east of the 

 Black Mountains. It was collected in May, 1877, but as its re- 

 markable interest was unknown it has only now been communi- 

 cated to me." It had been rediscovered after almost a century, and 

 after nearly forty years' search. 



In 1879 ^"^^ locality was visited by Dr. Gray and other 

 botanists, one of whom thus speaks of the excursion : " Being now 

 in McDowell county, the Shortia locality was visited under the 

 guidance of Mr. George M. Hyams, the actual discoverer. In 

 the secluded and well protected station, well overshadowed by 

 Rhododendrons and Magnolias, was seen the little colony of the 

 plant so long sought and by many so long doubted. The space 

 over which the plant extended was perhaps ten feet by thirty, and 



