90 



THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



green like the leaves of other plants for this purpose. In some 

 species there appears to be an abundance of thick and leathery 

 leaves, but a careful examination will show these to be really 

 flattened stems. The spines that abound on most species are 

 sometimes regarded as the remains of leaves but botanists are 

 not agreed on this point. 



AN ABNORMAL FLOWER OF CALOPOGON 



A MONG a great many flowers of the grass pink {Calopo- 

 •s"^''"' pulchclliis) in a bog" near Hammond, Indiana, July 

 6, 1914, I found a single example which showed striking ab- 



even in a vestigial state, at least to the naked eye. 



The absence of the lip does not seem to be of any signifi- 

 cance, but it is interesting that the fusion of the two sepals is 

 exactly what is prevalent in the genus of moccasin flowers 

 {Cypripcdiuin) which is regarded as the most primitive genus 

 of orchids. If of any significance, this would, of course, be a 

 case of reversion. It is possible, however, that the absence of 

 the lip causes the fusion. In any event these abnormalities are 

 very rare and interesting. 



By Edwin D. Hull. 



normalities as illustrated in the accom- 

 panying figure. It is seen that there 

 are apparently but two sepals and two 

 petals when normally there should be 

 three and three. The apparent absence 

 of a third sepal is explained by the 

 fusion of two, the tips of these (T) 

 distinctly but very little separated. 

 There are but two petals in reality, as 

 the lip is entirely absent, not showing 



