95 
body appears to be present in H. orientale, H. fcetidum ^nd Statue 
BonduellL Passing to the fungi, the organs of fructification of 
Peziza aiirantia, with their yellow disk and lighter outer side, were 
examined. It was found that the orange color is due to a new 
yellow pigment, that has been named ''pezizin/' which is present in 
the form of extremely minute drops combined with an oil-like sub- 
stance that occurs dissolved in the plasma of the paraphyses. The 
pigment, which occurs also in P. convexula^ may be dissolved out by 
alcohol or ether. Saponin was ascertained to occur in. the living 
roots of Saponaria officinalis and Gypsophila Stnithtum^ dissolved in 
the cell juice, from which it can be .separated in small amorphous 
white particles by treatment of thin slices of the root with absolute 
alcohol or ether. In the dried roots and in quillaia-bark it occurs 
as an amorphous white or gray substance. By treatment with con- ' 
centrated sulphuric acid and exposure to air, which gives rise to a 
yellow, then a bright red and afterwards a beautiful blue-violet 
color, saponin can be detected in the contents of all the cells of the 
Qidllaia 
Botanical Literature. 
On the Indian Species of CyperuSy with Remarks on some others that 
specially illustrate sub-divisions of the Genus!^ By Charles Baron 
Clarke, F.L.S., F.R.S. With four plates. 
This valuable contribution to Cyperology treats of many of our 
American species, based on specimens mainly by the older collectors 
in the Herbaria of Kew and Calcutta. Numbers of them are referred 
to older names than those found in our manuals, etc., and others 
regarded as species are reduced to varieties. The changes in no- 
menclature proposed by Mr. Clarke are as follows: 
C. inicrodontus, Torn, and van Texensis, Torr., including C 
Gatesii, Torr., are refered to C. polystachyus, L., a widely distributed 
species in the warmer regions of the eastern continent, under the 
varietal name holosericea\ G fugax^ Liebm., of Mexico, becomes van 
paniculata of the same species, and C Nutialii, (Eddy) Torn, be- 
comes vvix, flicina, although, as Mr. Clarke remarks, it may best be 
^garded as a species; the form of the last-named plant described as 
C. Cleaver i by Dr. Torrey is also made a variety of C. polystachyus, var. 
Cleaveri\ the original specimens from Monmouth Co., N. J., as well 
as recent ones collected by Mn C. F. Parker at Cape May, N. J., 
With various intermediate forms between them and C' Nuttallii, in- 
dicate, as Dn Torrey later suggested, that it is merely a depauperate 
form of this plant, not worthy of varietal rank. In these reductions 
Mr. Clarke follows the ideas of Bceckeler. G divergens, Chapm., 
IS made C. leucolepis, Carey, MS. G ambiguus, Liebm , of Mexico, be- 
comes C. Olfersianus, Kuntli. C. diandrus, Torr., van castaneus, Torr., 
IS restored to specific rank under the name G. rivularis, Kunth, a 
change in which we are not ready to concun The G. flavicomus. Torn, 
Mex. Bound. Survey, is referred to G. Hochstetteri, Nees. 
G. infexus^ 
Journ. Linn. Soc, xxi., l-2o2 
