1893.] The. Philosophy of Flower Seasons. 771 
siderations. To this end it will be reasonable to consider the 
groups of flowering plants in the most strictly natural order of 
their evolutionary relationships, from the lowest up. That 
this evolutionary system is largely based on floral structure is 
suggestively apropos of our theme, but how far the intimacy of 
the connection may extend the further development of the 
discussion will reveal. 
Passing to the outline of recorded observation we may dis- 
cuss each condition of the problem as it arises.. The three 
seasons considered have these limits:—spring; late March, 
April, May: summer; June, July, August: autumn; Sept- 
ember and October. AU statements refer only to the area about 
covered by Gray’s Revised Manual: the U.S. north of Tennes- 
-see and eastward from west Kansas. 
Of the two series of flowering plants, the Gymnosperme and 
Angiosperme modern botany concedes that the former, from 
their near approach to the higher Pteridopyta, represent the 
lower character of development, though the highly specialized 
Coniferz may rise to a position nearly parallel to the highest 
Angiosperme. The Conifere comprise all our indigenous 
Gymnosperme ;—and all flower in the spring from late March 
to earliest May, none in summer or autumn. 
In the Angiosperm:e, the Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons 
are two nearly parallel classes, the Monocotyls, though not 
transitional, representing, as a class, a lower character of devel- 
opment than the Dicotyls. Compare first the two classes in a 
general manner: The indigenous Dicotyls number much 
over twice the indigenous Monocotyls, and of the latter over 
half are in the great orders Cyperaceze and Graminacew. And 
these orders demand special attention, for they together repre- 
sent one of the most remarkable instances of high specializa- 
tion in the whole census of plant-life. Apropos of this let us 
call to mind for further use the five characters of organic 
development which certain carefully systematic evolutiontsts ! ! 
have recognized :—typical forms, which present all the main 
characters of their group with fullest intensity ; generalized- 
normal which have the normal characters somewhat poorly 
developed and defined; specialized-normal, which retain the 
