100 



THK AMERICAN BOTANl^ro 



statements of the early botanical writers^ were qtiite at 

 variances with regard to the structui^e of the plant. Some 

 reported that it had red twigs and alternate leaves while 

 others insisted that it had opposite leaves and green 

 twigs. Cnriousljv^ enough the plant has both kinds. The 

 first branches borne are eredt with red bai^k and alternate 

 leaves* These give rise to horizontal branches with green 

 bark and opposite leaves. On these lattei" the flowers are' 

 produced. 



Castilloa Fruits.— a note in the March BoTANisf 

 concerning the alluringness of the Para rubber tree fruits 

 reminds me of the big catches of butterflies I have made* 

 under the fruiting Castilloas of South Mexico. The fruity 

 which may be likened to a huge raspberry spread out flat^ 

 contains a good quanity of a strong-smelling red pulp } 

 and to this deca^^ing fallen fruit come all the insect epicures 

 of the neighborhood, — great, \sizy^ pufple^winged Caligos^ 

 nervous^ scarlet-and^blue Callicores,^ and gaudy^ dashing 

 Epicalias — invited guests of '^el hule" {Castilloa elastica), 

 ^O. W. Barrett, Mayaguez, Porto Rico, 



The Sundew in a New HabiTaI^.— Last March in one 

 of the wild tangles of Spring Hill, near Mobile, Alabama^ 

 along a dry, sandy roadside, I found many plants of the 

 round4eaved sundew {Drosera) all growing rank and 

 thrifty. I never before saw so much of the viscid secretion 

 characteristic of this plant as was running or hanging 

 from their leaves. In places the streams or ropes had 

 broken and the stuff lay in globule4ike masses on the 

 ground covered with sand grains and other bits of loose 

 dirt not readily absorbed- These plants all grew in the 

 open, freely exposed to the sun, and were not in the least 

 protected by shade of tree, bushes or other low growth. 

 My plants, too, were all on the upper side of the road 

 where it was cut along the side of a knoll so that all the 

 moisture drained away as soon as it reached them and 

 there was no water near. When I reached Washington I 

 went to the big library and after following every clue to 

 the limit I found no authority for Drosera rotundifolia to- 



