BULLETIN 
OF THE 
TORREY BOTANICAL Cian. 
‘Vol. XIX.] New York, June 4, 1892. [No. 6. 
The Genus Frankia in the United States. 
By Geo. F. ATKINSON. 
(PLATE CXXVIII). 
At the Indianapolis meeting of the A. A. A. S. in 1890, Dr. 
W. J. Beal exhibited before the Botanical Club specimens of root- 
galls on Ceanothus Americanus.* Knowing of my interest in 
the subject of root-galls he left the specimens with me for deter- 
mination. The galls resembled so closely in external appearance 
those of the tubercles of some of the Leguminosz that I half 
Suspected they were caused by a similar organism. On examin- 
ing a section, however, it was at once apparent that the analogy 
Was entirely superficial. In the parenchymatous tissue surround- 
ing the central cylinder were numerous enlarged cells occupied 
by what appeared to be plasmodia, bearing a striking resemblance 
to those of Plasmodiophora Brassica, Wor.t 
Suised by the influence of the alcohol in which. the specimens 
Were preserved, I sent to Dr. Beal for fresh material. From this 
material the true condition of affairs was at once presented. The 
organism is closely allied to that producing the galls on the roots 
_ Of various species of A/nus and the Elazagnacez, which has been 
long known in Europe, and was first described by Woronin as 
Schinzia Alnit This fact, and also that the fungus has more 
* Botanical Gazette, Vol. XV., No. 9, p- 232. 
t Pringsheim's Jahrbiicher, Bd. XI., 1877. 
$ Ueber die bei der Schwarzerle und der gewohnlichen Garten-Lupine auftreten- 
den Wurzelanschwellungen, Memoires d. I’Acad. Imp. 4. Sciences, VIle Series, 
Tome X., No. 6, p. 2, 1866. 
Fearing that the real nature of the organism might be dis- 
