390 Floristik, Geographie, Systematik etc. 



führliche deutsche Beschreibung der neuen, aus Guatemala stam- 

 menden und dort nicht seltenen Art Melocactiis gnatemalensis Gurke 

 et Eichlam n. sp. W. Wangerin (Burg bei Magdeburg). 



Erdner, E., Ein neuer Veilchen-Tripelbastard. (Allg. Bot. 

 Zeitschr. v. A. Kneucker. XIV. p. 72—73. 1908.) 



Verf. beschreibt unter dem Namen Viola neobiirgensis Erdner 

 einen neuen Tripelbastard V. (hirta L. X odorata L.) X saepincola 

 Jord. Rasse cyanea Gel. = V. permixia Jord. X saepincola Jord. Rasse 

 cyanea Gel., den Verf. im sogen. Engl. Garten bei Neu bürg a. D. 

 aufgefunden hat. In eingehender Diskussion der Merkmale wird 

 gezeigt, dass die fragliche Pflanze mit keinem der etwa in Betracht 

 kommenden einfachen Bastarde übereinstimmt, dass sich dagegen 

 in ihren Eigenschaften der Einfluss aller drei mutmasslichen Stamm- 

 arten nachweisen lässt, so dass sie als der genannte Tripelbastard 

 angesprochen werden muss. 



W. Wangerin (Burg bei Magdeburg). 



Ernst, A., The New Flora ofthe Volcanic Island ofKra- 

 katau. Translated by A. G. Seward. (74 pp. with 13 photo- 

 graphs and maps. Gambridge, University Press, 1908. Price 4/-). 



Professor Ernst's original account (Viertelsjahrsschrift d. natur- 

 forschenden Gesellschaft in Zürich, Jahr. 52. 1907) is here translated 

 and issued in book form, thus rendering it available for a wider 

 circulation than in the original periodical. Since the great eruption 

 of Krakatau in 1883, when plant-life was entirely destroyed, the 

 island has become a classic study in the development of an island 

 Vegetation. This book gives a summary of the earlier stages as 

 observed by Treub in 1886, and b)^ the later expedition in 1897, 

 while the main part is devoted to the expedition of April 24 — 27, 

 1906, in which Ernst, G. A. Backer, A. A. Pulle, and D. H. 

 Gampbell took part. As a preliminary, Visits were made to Edam 

 a coral island off Java, and to other places on Java and Sumatra, 

 and the observations made are used as a basis for comparison with 

 Krakatau. One day was spent on this island, landings being effected 

 at two places. The author states his observations in a graphic man- 

 ner so that the reader can form an excellent idea of the present 

 condition of Vegetation. The outstanding feature is the remarkable 

 progress made by the Vegetation. As Pen zig showed in 1897, the 

 development of plant-associations had begun then, the Pes-caprae 

 formation predominating on the beach, while in the interior the Vege- 

 tation presented the appearance of a grass-steppe, and Ferns constitu- 

 ted.the dominant plants on the slopes of the cone. Ernst recognised 

 two formations in the strand-flora: an outer zone of typical Pes- 

 caprae with low creeping grasses and herbaceous plants, bushes and 

 shrubs; and an inner Barringtonia strand-forest with fruiting Go- 

 conut palms and tall Casuarinas fringing the beach. The level ground 

 gently sloping towards the base of the cone is still grass-steppe 

 with Grasses, Cyperaceae and Compositae, the Ferns now occupying 

 a subordinate place. Trees and shrubs, are now, however, forming 

 groups on the steppe and in the ravines. The majority of the new 

 species are phanerogams, which have increased from 56 in 1894 to 

 92 in 1906, whereas the ferns have not increased much. A list of 

 species known on the island is given, with details of geographica! 



