l88 MISS A. M. GELDART ON STRATIOTES ALOIDES, L. 
it rots away, only the rootstock with its leafsprout remaining. 
In 1905 the plants at Rockland Broad had all sunk, by 
September 17th, in 3 to 5 feet of water. 
If in autumn the plant be forcibly torn from its attachment, 
or if its power of germination be exhausted, it becomes 
loosened from the ground, often finally clinging by a single 
thread, and as soon as this also withers, the plant turns 
upside down, floating, rootstock uppermost and leaves inverted, 
until it rots away entirely. If such forcible destruction does 
not take place, the central body hibernates, and the leaf- 
sprout germinates again next year. In winter condition the 
rootstock assumes a more even shape ; the whole mass is 
more compressed and more solid ; and germs prepared for 
the next growing period become evident. 
Nolte says on page 5, that meanwhile some of the earlier- 
mentioned buds have been formed by lengthening of their 
stalks into new stolons (Nolte, t. i., fig. 1). With these buds 
the plant, towards the end of August * again raises itself to 
the surface of the water, these buds push out rootlets at their 
bases, become gradually larger and try to reach the ground. 
As soon as the rootlets lay hold of it, the buds separate them- 
selves from the mother-plant by decay of the former budstalk 
or runner, and attain to independent existence. Is “ August ” 
a misprint for “ April ” ? The sentence follows immediately 
on Nolte’s description of the winter condition of the plant. 
Was Kernel' quoting from this passage ? in saying (Oliver’s 
edition, vol. i. p. 76) : — “ When the time of flowering is over 
the plant sinks again to mature its fruit and seeds and develop 
buds for the production of young daughter-plants. Towards 
the end of August it rises for the second time in one year.” 
Does it do so in England ? In answer to my question, Mr. 
Spencer Bickham, F.L.S., who grows Stratiotes in a pond at 
Ledbury (Herefordshire), writes (in litt.), “ It does not do so 
here. About May it can be seen rising, but often partially 
sinks again before rising] fully and flowering. I may be 
wrong but I have imagined the temperature of the water 
* Mit diesen Knospen erhebt sich die Pflanze gegen das Ende des August’s 
wieder zur Oberflache des Wassers. 
