24 Descendenz. — Morphologie. 



forms, hitherto undiscovered, probably occur. The extreme 

 Variation shewn by these wild forms is in keeping with the 

 wide differences observed in the cultivated plants. A de- 

 scription quoted from a Chinese writer of the XI. (eleventh) 

 Century shews that even at that early period two distinct forms 

 were recognised — one having flowers with a yellow disc and 

 white ray (morifolium), the other with entirely yellow flowers 

 (indicum). The author is inclined to believe that the gardens 

 of Loochoo, Nanking and other centres of refinement obtained the 

 parent forms of many cultivated plants from Ichang. 



H. H. W. Pearson (London). 



Shull, G. H., A quantitative study of Variation in the 

 bracts, rays, and disc florets of Aster Shortii, A. 

 Novae- Angliae, A. punicens and A. prenanthoides, from 

 Yellow Springs, Ohio. (The American Naturalist. XXXVI. 

 1902. p. 111 — 152.) 



The writer finds a close correlation in the number of rays 

 and bracts: the degree of imbrication is correlated with the 

 number of empty bracts; the number of all the parts decreases 

 from the beginning to the end of the flowering period. 



D. H. Camphell. 



COCKAYNE, L., An Inquiry into the Seedling Forms of 

 New Zealand Phanerogams and their develop- 

 ment. Part IV. (Transactions of the New Zealand Institute. 

 Vol. XXXIII. p. 265.) 



This paper contains an account of seedlings under culti- 

 vation and found wild of the following species. Pittosponim 

 rigldum Hk. f., Stellaria roughil Hk. f., Gaya lyallll Baker 

 var. riblfolla J. Kirk., Plagianthus betulinus A. Cunn., Veronlca 

 odora Hk. f., V. Squalida J. Kirk., V. Armstrotigii J. Kirk., 

 Rubiis cirsoldes A. Cunn var. pauperatiis T. Kwk., Ligusticum 

 filifolium Hk. f., Inferences are made from the observations as 

 to the phylogeny of these plants. W. H. Lang. 



Beille, Organogenie florale des Boussingaultia fasello'ides. 

 (Act. de la Societe Linneen. de Bordeaux. Ser. VI. T. VI. 

 p. CLVI.) 



Une jeune inflorescence de 2 mm. montre dejä des fleurs 

 a tous les Stades. L'auteur Ies a etudie'es par transparence 

 apres les avoir eclaircies dans le chloral et par la methode des 

 coupes successives. 



Apres la formation des deux bractees, les cinq sepales 

 apparaissent successivement, puis les 5 etamines simultane'ment 

 de meme que les trois carpelles. A aucune epoque il n'y a 

 trace de petales. L'etude anatomique de ces pieces montre 

 qu'elles ont la m£me origine que chez les Disciflores. 



Lignier (Caen). 



