458 Floristik, Geographie, Systematik etc. 



development of the bulbs of Allium ursinum, and although the 

 reader is sometimes doubtful as to what exactly is meant, the paper 

 contains useful information. Stages of germination illustrated include 

 the period from October to March. The first bulb arises from the 

 sheathing base of the first foliage leaf. In describing the mature 

 bulbs, the origin of the basal scars is referred to, also cases of 

 abnormal growth due to overlying stones or deep soil. 



W. G. Smith. 



Pearson, H. H. W., Percy Sladen Memorial Expedition 

 in South-west Africa 1908—1909. (Nature LXXXI. 2085, 

 p. 466-467 and 2086. p. 499—500 with 6 figs. 1909.) 

 A preliminary note on this expedition, the primary object of 

 which was the investigation of the biolog}^ and morphology of 

 Gnetum africanum. The author also Sketches briefly features of 

 the Vegetation, wich will doubtless be described more fully at 

 some future time. The expedition left Cape Town in November 

 1908 and first traversed the Ceres plateau and part of the Karoo, 

 everywhere parched after long drought so that only the hardiest 

 succulents were in evidence. The sand}^ plains of Bushmanland 

 after heavy rains carried a rieh Vegetation and several new species 

 were found. Some time was spent in the Orange River Valley 

 where a zonation of Vegetation was recognised. Thence by Warm- 

 bad and Keetmanshoep the journey was made over the plateau 

 with a rieh Vegetation with many annuals, to Lüderitzbucht 

 where a desert-belt with rocks and sand fringes the ocean. From 

 Swakopmund an excursion was made to Welwitsch one of the 

 localities for Welwitschia, but the collector has been so busy in this 

 accessible Station, that complete extermination is imminent in spite 

 of measures for protection. 



Part II deals with Angola. At Loanda (8—9° S.) there is a 

 dry coastal belt 150 miles wide, followed by a mountainous zone 

 for the most part densely forest-covered up to 1200 metres, here, 

 in Golungo Alto, Welwitsch discovered Gnetum africanum. 

 Pearson after some search found the species abundant in a dense 

 forest near Montobello, but it appears to be local in its distri- 

 bution. From Mossamedes (15° S.) a journey was made to another 

 locality for Welwitschia, and here the plants had coned freely and 

 many seedlings were found; this was after a wet period. The final 

 stage of the expedition was eastwards to the Huilla plateau and 

 southwards to the Cunene river, and several zones of Vegetation 

 are briefly indicated. W. G. Smith. 



Prain, D., Hooker's Icones Plantarum, IX, pt. 4. (Spottes- 

 wood & Co., London. 1909.) 

 The plants illustrated are Manihot dichotoma, Ule, one of the 

 new Brazilian rubber trees and the following species of the genus 

 Sapium viz. S. obovatum, Klotzsch, 5. pallidum, Klotzsch, 5. lineari- 

 folium, Hemsl., 5. longifolium, Huber, 5. haematospernntm, Muell.- 

 Arg., 5. Muelleri, Hemsl., 5. Sellowianum, Klotzsch, 5. Gibertii, 

 Hemsl. , 5. monlevidense, Klotzsch , 5. Laurocerasus, Desf. , 5. jamai- 

 cense, Swartz, 5. Hippomane, G. F. W. Meyer, 5. bogotense, Huber, 

 5. sulciferum, Pittier, 5. pedicellatum , Hueber, S. Ruizii, Hemsl., 

 5. Aucuparium, Jacq., 5. utile, Preuss, S. lanceolatum, Huber, S. 

 Taburu, Ule, 5. eglandulosum, Ule, 5. prunifolium, Klotzsch. 



A. W. Hill. 



