LIFE HISTORY OF TIMOTHY 43 
Proliferating florets, which usually constitute only a small pro- 
portion of the total number of florets on any head, and normal florets 
in bloom often have been observed on the same head. 
On all timothy spikelets which have been examined in which a 
proliferating floret was growing, the two outer glumes, which are a 
part of the spikelet and not of the floret itself, have never been found 
appreciably enlarged or modified into leaves. 
PROLIFERATING FLORETS WITH A SINGLE ENLARGED BRACT 
By far the largest proportion of timothy florets with evidence of 
proliferation have but one enlarged bract, like the florets on the 
head shown in Plate 10. A. In Plate 8. A. are shown three detached 
spikelets with proliferating florets, each with a single enlarged bract. 
A floret with this type of proliferation, from which the glumes of the 
spikelet have been removed, is shown in Plate 8. B. 
Proliferating florets with one enlarged bract usually have either 
a pistil or stamens, or both, though these frequently appear some- 
what withered or in other ways do not appear quite normal. On 
Xovember 17, 1920, a floret of this kind from each of nine heads was 
examined. On eight, or 88.8 per cent, of these florets pistils or sta- 
mens were found. Enlarged ovules, apparently representing seed 
in the early stages of growth, have been found in proliferations with 
one enlarged bract. 
In a group of 25 florets which were examined, each with a single 
enlarged bract and with a pistil or stamens, it was in every case the 
lemma which resembled a small leaf: the palea was of normal or 
approximately normal size and form. 
PROLIFEROUS SHOOTS 
Proliferations of timothy, which in appearance resemble small 
innovations grown from vegetative buds, are designated here as 
proliferous shoots. They are fundamentally different from the ordi- 
nary proliferating florets, each of which has a single enlarged bract. 
There are several proliferous shoots on the head shown in Plate 10, B. 
The most easily apparent difference between a proliferous shoot 
and an ordinary proliferating floret is that the former has several 
leaflike parts instead of a single one. As has been stated, in a pro- 
liferation of the latter type it is the lemma which is enlarged, while 
the palea appears normal. In a proliferous shoot, on the other 
hand, the lemma is enlarged very slightly, and in some cases ap- 
parently not at all, while the part above it resembles a small leaf. 
Since, in proliferous shoots, buds have sometimes been observed in 
the axils of leaflike parts, they may evidently be regarded as true 
leaves. 
The empty glumes of the spikelets of timothy during the course of 
this investigation have never been observed to become modified 
through proliferation. 
In a proliferous shoot there are no stamens or pistil. It would 
obviously be impossible for a typical proliferating floret, with one 
leaflike part and with a pistil and stamens, to become transformed 
later into a typical proliferous shoot with several leaves but with no 
pistil or stamens. 
