Vol. IV., No. 4.] BULLETIN OF THE TorREY BotanicaLCius. [New York, April, 1873. 
20. Oaks and Mistletoe.—The interesting note of our fellow-mem- 
ber, Mr. Hall, upon the present rarity of mistletoe on the English oaks, 
and its frequent occurrence upon the English apple trees, Jeads me 
to mention here the very frequent, nay, almost constant occurrence 
of huge bunches of Phoradendron (the American representative of 
mistletoe) upon the oaks of California. Throughout the plain and 
lower hills of that State, scattered oaks, of several species, are the 
most abundant tree, and their graceful forms, as well as their vivid 
green, seen in contrast with the usual arid vegetation of August, 
give a peculiar and needed charm to the summer landscape. It 
was my privilege to journey a few weeks last summer in that State 
with our lamented friend and master, Dr. Torrey, and his acute and 
practised eye was quick to notice that, especially in the Napa and 
Sonoma valleys, nearly every large oak that we passed bore 
bunches of mistletoe, many of them of great size andage. The 
oaks on which it was observed were, Quercus Hindsi:, Benth; @Q. 
Kelloggii, Newb. ; Q. chrysolepis, Liebm>; and probably others. 
Whether it is there confined to the genus Quercus I cannot say. It 
was, probably, one of the varieties of /horodendron flavescens 
(Pursh.) Nutt., but our hurried stage-coach travel did not permit 
us to secure specimens. East of the Mississippi the Phorodendron 
is known to cultivate the society of a considerable variety of trees. 
Joun H, REDFIELD. | 
2. Orchids.—With regard to the list of orchids in the January 
(1873) Bur.erin, a note or two may be worth while. Liparis 
lilitfolia, Rich., | have found in the woods near Greenwood Cem- 
etery ; perhaps twenty plants. Liparis Loeselii, Rich., I have found 
in the very midst of the bog on Weehawken heights, growing 
right in the midst of the wet, black mud, and almost in the water 
itself. It was healthy and large, and had the remains of two years 
previous growth. I have also found it on Staten Island, in the 
gravelly bank of a railroad cutting; very vigorous also, and hav- 
ing the remains of two years’ growth. 1 found it also on a gravel- 
ly bank by the roadside in Tarrytown, very vigorous and. with the 
temains of one year’s previous growth. I have several times found 
them in the Western part of the State, the L. liliifolia always in 
the woods, but the Z. Loeselii always on the side of a gravelly or 
sandy bank, about half way up on the rough and uncovered sur- 
_ face. Only in the case of the Weehawken bog have I found it a 
_ &wet place. I cannot believe that the water 1s the most natura 
lace for either species. Cypripedium acaule, Ait., besides the 
“ calities mentioned in the BuLtETrN, I have seen frequently ve 
taten Island, and occasionally up through Westchester County 
and in Connecticut. C. pubescens, Wild., I haye soy Boe 
Casionally in Westchester County and in Connecticut 5 but I have 
hever, in this region, seen a C. parvifiorum, Salisb. ; nor im ree ge 
‘ave I seen any such places as that seems to Jove so well in 
Central New York. I do not remember ever to have been ae 
‘ng in the Jersey Pines, in the proper season, without sped 
atross Habenaria tridentata, Hook., in thesawamps; bis 4 
bogs of Westchester County without seeing H. lacera, —— 
