492 General Notes. [Angust, 
(4.) A considerable number of such flowers have a shorter style, so 
that the stigma stands as low as the base of the five longer anthers, in 
one or two even lower than all the anthers; otherwise all is as in No. 3, 
of which this seerhs to be a mere variation. And here also, although 
not very definitely, there is a tendency to having lower instead of higher 
anthers in connection with the short style. $ 
The flowers of Epigea may therefore be classified into two kinds, 
each with two modifications ; the two main kinds characterized by the 
nature and perfection of the stigma, along with more or less abortion of 
the stamens ; their modifications, by the length of the style. The first 
is leading to dioicism, the second points to dimorphism. I am not aware 
that either unisexual or dimorphous flowers are otherwise known in the 
Ericacee. Dimorphism (as exemplified in primroses, Houstonia, and 
Mitchella) may be regarded as the more perfect arrangement on the 
score of economy, as it secures cross-fertilization along with fertility of 
all the flowers. It would seem as if this had been attempted in Epigea, 
but that the stamens did not respond with the requisite correlation to 
the long and short styles; and the same may be said of certain flowers 
in one or two other families. Of dichogamy, the other equally econom- 
ical method, I find no indication in Hpigea blossoms. But they appear 
to be now falling back upon the remaining, less economical mode 0 
securing the end, namely, by unisexual blossoms. 
It would be interesting to know whether the small-stigma forms of 
Epigea are ever fruitful, or fully so. It might not be difficult to ascer- 
tain the kind of flower in any case which has matured fruit; for the 
style and stigmas persist until the capsule is well formed in the fruit 
thus far known. i 
The æstivation of the corolla is that of the tribe, imbricated, but with 
a strong tendency to convolute; more commonly there is only one © 
terior and one interior lobe. 
In reproducing from the American Journal this account in the Nat- 
URALIST, I have a special object, that of having search made this sum” 
mer for fruiting specimens of all sorts. I should be glad to receive the 
fruit from various parts of the country, in order to ascertain, if po 
whether the short-stigma blossoms ever set seed, — as it seems eat 
they may, — and whether the seeds or capsules show any differences.. 5 
collecting and preserving fruiting specimens, care should be taken not t 
detach the style. — Asa Gray. dus, 
BOTANICAL Papers IN Recent PERIODICALS. — Comptes gs E 
April 24th. Boussingault, On the Growth of Plants which have 
