Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 31.djvu/99

Rh or hermaphroditic, having both stamens and pistil, while others are unisexual, being either staminate or pistillate. This appears to indicate that the elm is passing through a transition state, either toward a final separation of the sexes, as in the hazel, or is approaching those plants which have their flowers all perfect, as the magnolias or tulip-trees.

The Ranunculus repens (L.) opened its bright-yellow petals on April 14th, and was the only new flower for that date. This creeping buttercup is one of a large genus which takes its name from the Latin word for a little frog, applied to these plants by Pliny, because many species are aquatic and abound with the frogs. The English farmers rank this early spring plant among their weeds, and like many other plant-pests it has a remarkable provision for spreading and occupying the land. Shortly after the flowers have faded the plants send out runners which quickly take root at their joints as in the strawberry, and before midsummer has passed the mother-plant may have a brood of young extending far beyond the protection of her "wings" or leaves.

April 15th has four species recorded against it on the note-book, namely: Isopyrum biternatum (T. and G.), Dicentra cucullaria (DC), Capsella Bursa-pastoris (Moench), and Erythronium albidum (Nutt). What a variety is here presented in so small a number! There are as many orders represented as species. One is an endogen of the lily family, and should be called spring-lily, instead of white dog's-tooth violet. There is very little to suggest a violet in shape or color, and, as for the "dog's-tooth" part, the quicker it is extracted the better! The other three species are disposed among the exogens; the isopyrum, or enemion, falling in close by the side of the crowfoots and the marsh-marigolds, but a thousand times more delicate in habit than the latter. It is the ordinary wind-flower exalted in its foliage to the attractiveness of a maiden-hair fern. The student, during his first spring among the early flowers, is quite liable to confuse this isopyrum with the rue-anemone (Thalictrum anemonoides, Michx.). At this he should not grieve because older heads have been troubled with this little thalictrum—which now is no more a thalictrum. Of it De Candolle wrote,"Habit and frondescence of isopyrum with the inflorescence of anemone and the fruit of thalictrum." Spach has placed the little puzzler in a new genus and calls it a little anemone that is much like a thalictrum, viz., Anemonella thalictroides. This is only one of many instances where further study of a species has led to a new setting in the system; in fact, a large part of the work of the systematic botanist in the future will be the erasing of old, confusing, ill-defined lines, and the drawing of clearer and stronger ones. But, wherever the rue-anemone may go in the classification, its likeness to the isopyrum will remain, and, coming as these two plants do at the same time in April, they will always furnish a test for the discriminating powers