820 



THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXXVII J . 



plant is a perennial 



arly spring growth may be 



: noted it usually has complicated leaves, but if the 

 very earliest growth is looked for, leaves will 

 be found exactly comparable to those of the 

 seedling. The trifoliolate form is common- 

 est, hut in sonic cases, especially where the 

 plants grow in sandy soil, the first leaf will 

 be simple, as in the first leaf of the seedling. 

 The stejjs in the further complication of the 

 compound leaf follow the same stages as in 

 the seedling, but usually more rapidly, arriv- 

 ing at the typical leaf of the species by fewer 

 stages than in the seedling. This is a good 

 example of acceleration of development seen 

 in localized stages. 



The plant produces great masses of the 

 small flowers, and the strength thus used up 

 is deducted from the amount which goes to 

 leaf de\ el()i)ment, with the result that below 

 the flower there is always shown localized 

 senescence, exhibiting regressive develop- 

 show.s leaves in the series below the flower 



