THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
buds are unmistakably only buds, and the liazel catkins have 
shown no signs of relaxing, while pussy willows are still far 
from showing flowers, this firstling of the year, this leader 
of the vernal carnival, pushes up its spotted hood by swamp 
and stream and bids the milder season welcome. Lacking 
the fragrance of the arbutus or the delicate beauty of the 
hepatica and dubbed with an offensive name, the skunk's cab- 
bage {Symplocarpiis foetidtis), lays no claim to a favorite's 
place, but thrives none the less lustily among the greening 
rushes, giving the first pollen to the bees and the hope of 
spring to the early rambler. Sometimes, in the latitude of 
New York, the first flowers appear by the middle of Febru- 
ar>^ These are favored individuals, growing w here the liv- 
ing waters of some nearby spring keep the ground unfrozen 
through the winter, but shortly afterward every swamp is 
dotted with the pointed spathes. No one can mistake the 
purple-spotted, shell-like flower-cluster, just peeping above 
the mud and water. As they commonly grow they appear 
stemless and un-flowerlike, but if by chance they push up 
under water they may develop a stem several inches in 
length, when a decided likeness to their regal relative, the 
calla lily, is seen. It is generally supposed that the flowers 
have a strong and fetid odor, but this is incorrect. It is 
only when leaf or stem is bruised that any odor is notice- 
able. 
Though often found in bloom surrounded by water, 
the skunk'f cabbage usually does not grow in places that are 
inundated the season through. Its habitat ends near the 
line of standing water, but just beyond appears an ally, the 
water arum {Peltandra midulata). Its arrow-shaped leaves 
rise above the water in thick clumps, while l,>elow them on 
long stems the slender, green, pointed spathes enclosing the 
flower-clusters spread about No ordinary flower-gatherer 
considers this so^alled flmver worthv of a place in a Iwu- 
