59 



5*- Grasses New to California.— In examining, in the herbar. 

 ium of Isaac C. Martindale, some grasses collected in Plumas County, 

 California, by Mrs. R. M. Austin, I found the following species which 

 are not, to my knowledge, anywhere recorded as occurring within the 

 State : Hierochloa horealis, R. k. S. — a robust form, but very dis- 

 tinct from H. macrophylla^ Thurb.; Spartina gracilis^ Trin.; and 

 ^Brtza minor^'L. The latter species has also been found on ships' 

 ballast below Philadelphia, by Mr. Isaac Burk. I am not aware that 

 this plant has before been mentioned as occurring in this country. 

 Girard College, Philadelphia. F. Lamson Scribner. 



52. Ranunculus Cymbalaria, Pursh.— Ihave collected a pub- 

 escent form of this species of Ranunculus^dX Belen, on the Rio Grande, 



M 



J 



H. H. RusBY. 



53. The Grasses of North America.— i propose to publish sets 



of the grasses of North America in fascicles of about one hundred 

 species each, as fast as material can be gathered for the purpose. 



It is intended that these sets shall be authe?iiic^ and no pains will 

 be spared to make them so. The labels will be neatly printed, and 

 will contain the accepted name of the plant, the more important 

 synonyms, references to published descriptions, the geographical dis- 

 tribution of the species and the habitat of the specimen. When 

 twenty-five or more good specimens of a species are received from 

 any one collector his name will appear on the ticket. 



In order to carry out my proposed work, I shall be obliged tp de- 

 pend largely upon the generosity of collectors and botanists interested 

 in the progress of science, for specimens of species not found in this 

 immediate vicinity. Those donating specimens will receive sets, 

 more or less complete, according to the quantity and value of their 

 contributions. Sets will also be sent to the more important herbaria 

 of this and other countries, and a limited number will be offered for 

 sale to subscribers. 



I hope to have the first fascicle ready for distribution early next 

 winter, and the others will follow as fast as they can be made up. 



I shall be pleased to communicate with botanists interested in 

 the success of the work here proposed, and wishing to aid in its pros- 

 ecution; also with those who may have grasses which they would like 

 to have named. 



Girard College, Philadelphia, Pa. , F. Lamson Scribner. 



54. Botanical Literature,— Trimen's Jounm! of Botany for 

 March contains articles on ^ Potamogelon lanceolatns of Smith/ by A. 

 Bennett ; * Some Recent Tendencies in Botanical Nomenclature,' by 

 B. D. Jackson ; ' Some Mosses collected in Ireland,* by D. Orr; *0n 

 Darwin's Doctrine of Cleistogamy,'. by S. LeM. Moore ; and on 

 ^ Erythraea capitata,' hy F. Townsend. 



In the Botanical Gazette for April Prof. Rothrock describes cer- 

 tain modes of work in DeBary's laboratory ; Mr. Rusby contributes 

 notes on the fern-flora of New Mexico ; Mr. Greene calls attention 



