April, 1901] Kellerman — Minor Plant Notes. 99' 



be noted here. He has shown that the common and abundant 

 Spurge Rust, occurring on very many species of Euphorbia (twelve 

 of which are listed in the Ohio Flora) is able to propogate itself con- 

 stantly through the germinating seed of its host, and therefore 

 becomes in that way practically a perennial species. He remarks 

 that " It is the only demonstrated example of this manner of propo- 

 gation in the whole order of Uredineae. Actual cluster-cups may 

 be seen in the hulled seeds of Euphorbia dentata. Seedlings kept 

 under bell jars become rusted tliree months from the date of plant- 

 ing, showing all stages of the rust, while seeds disinfected with 

 mercuric cloride produce no rusted plants." 



Ohio Hybrid Oaks. — The Ohio Oaks have received as yet no cri- 

 tical study, though notes as to their variation have occasionally and 

 indirectly got into print. It is often suggested that there may be 

 numerous hybrid forms, though mere guesses are scarcely of any 

 significance. Lea's Oak, which is now known to occur in Ohio at 

 four stations, namely, Cincinnati (the original locality reported), 

 Brownsville in Licking County (tree since cut down), Columbus 

 (one specimen), and Cedar Point in Erie County, has been known 

 for years. It has been generally referred to Quercus imbricaria and 

 Quercus velutina for its parentage, though Mr. Fischer was of opin- 

 ion that the Columbus specimen was a cross between Quercus rubra 

 and Quercus imbricarica. It was a matter of much interest when 

 Mr. A. D. Selby reported, at the December Meeting of the Ohio 

 Academy of Science, that he observed a hybrid Oak, a single tree, 

 growing at Lakeville, Holmes County. The parentage he refers to 

 Quercus alba and questionably Quercus inbricaria. He reports it 

 with pronounced aspect of Q. alba "save in the elongated, sliort- 

 lobed leaves which obviously approach those of Q. inbricaria." 

 While certain resemblances to Q. acuminata may suggest them- 

 selves (were his words) this species has not been observed in the im- 

 mediate region. No mature fruit was seen. We may perliaps ven- 

 ture to suggest that the evidence for its hybridity between the two 

 species named— one an annual-fruited and the other a biennial- 

 fruited species— is suspiciously slender, and it is hoped that mature- 

 fruit and further inspection may put the case beyond doubt. 



Asparagus Rust Abundant on Young Plants.— An inspec- 

 tion of the two patches of Asparagus on the University farm unex- 

 pectedly showed a more general infection of the plants which were 

 but one year old. The older plants grow in the narrow flood plain 

 of a little stream tliat flows tlirough the farm to the Olentangy;. 

 throughout this patch which is perhaps a dozen years old, the 

 infection is quite general, though very few of the plants show a large 

 amount of the Rust, and no perceptible damage to the crop ha& 

 hitherto been reported. A year ago seed was sown on higher ground 



