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from the brief description he gives it seems safe to assume that 

 it is. Two branched forms are found, as follows: 



a. Forma ramosum f. nov. (f. Ramigerum A. A. E., in 

 Gilbert's list, p. 26, not A. Br. in Sched., which normally branches 

 at the 3 to 5 middle nodes.) Stems issuing one to several 

 branches from the upper nodes after the death of the top of the 

 main axis ; teeth usually persistent and leaves centrally grooved, 

 b. Forma polystachyum Prager. Stems issuing small spiciferous 

 branches late in the season. As remarked by Mr. Gilbert (List, 

 p. 26), these forms are seldom found together and many patches 

 show neither. 



The stems of this variety persist at least three years and 

 probably longer. I have found but two causes of death, old age 

 not appearing as a factor. Both are fungoid. After the stem has 

 persisted for a time small white patches appear under the epider- 

 mis of the upper internode. These increase in number and the 

 internode finally dies, not, however, till the second one shows 

 the disease. This may continue till the whole stem succumbs. 

 The other fungus is a smut that breaks out in small pustules, 

 finally opening in black patches the size of the head of a pin or 

 smaller. They are usually numerous and the stem dies rapidly. 



The growth of the stem is indeterminate, but as each succeed- 

 ing section is a little smaller than the one below, the time arrives 

 in the history of each when no more can be pushed out and the 

 growth ceases. The undeveloped internodes soon die and thus 

 the stem, if it grows at all, must put its energy into branches, 

 as the silex coating prevents its increase in diameter. 



9. Robustum (A. Br.) B. robustum A. Br. Stems 3 to 6 feet 

 tall, 2 to 6 lines wide, 16 to 48 angled, simple or branched the 

 second year; ridges rough with cross-bands of silex; grooves 

 naked with a smooth coat of silex, and when young with a thin 

 white scurfy coat that soon falls off ; sheaths tight to the stem, 

 or recurved and deciduous in fragments in age, as broad as 

 long, soon developing a black girdle at base, an ashy or pinkish 

 one through the middle and a black one above, the last usually 

 very small, all variable in breadth and intensity of color; leaves 

 linear, sharply 3 angled ; commissural groove not widened above ; 

 teeth more or less persistent for a season, seldom torn off by the 



