18 
THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
Persistence of Certain W'ild Flowers. — In many 
species, owing to the arrangement of flowers and leaves on a 
single short stem, as in trillium, picking the flowers usually 
results in great injury to, or complete destruction of, the 
plant. In others, such as the bloodroot, violet, Dutchman's 
breeches and hepatica, picking the flowers is of no especial 
injury to the plant, the only harmful consequences being 
the prevention of seed production. Plants that depend 
largely upon the production of seeds to keep up the race are 
the only ones that suffer much from flower gathering, unless 
as in the first case mentioned, all the leaves are taken with 
the flowers. The plants that persist longest in regions 
where flower gathering is common, are those that 
have developed two ways of reproduction. In such cases, 
seed production appears to be principally for the extension 
of the species into new regions, while runners and under- 
ground branches keep up the race at home. It would be 
exceedingly difficult to eradicate the adder 's-tongue (Ery- 
throniitm Ainericanmn) from a locality without plowing 
up the soil, for each small bulb commonly sends out several 
runners each of which forms a new bulb. Since only a 
few bulbs flower annually the supply is kept up. The 
mandrake {Podophyllum peltatum) may be cited as a plant 
with branching rootstocks that is able to persist under dif- 
ficulties. 
Ibidium Beckii. — Who, except the name-tinkerer, 
would recognize our common and familiar ladies tresses 
(Spiranthes simplex) under the outlandish name at the 
beginning of this article ? And yet, if we are to follow the 
leaders of this movement for overturning well established 
names, this is what we shall have to call the plant. A few 
years ago a botanist who is considered by his associates as 
above the average in acuteness, asked us to change the gen- 
eric name to Gyrostachys. Many made the change, but 
already they find they have been following a false prophet. 
