260 THE plajs^t world. 



stamens, although it is difficult to count these without injur}' 

 to the flower. There are seventeen sepals. The pistil is a flat 

 column about one-fourth of an inch wide with a row of flat 

 stiginas at the top. On the same stem are two buds with six 

 divisions of the corolla, one having four and one five sepals. 

 Tlie other buds jJromise to produce tlic nornuil form of harebell. 

 — Mar^i^ K. Daufim. 



EOSELLE. 

 In Earmers Bulletin Xo. 307 of the U. S. Department 

 of Agriculture, P. J. AVestc^r gives an account of the culture and 

 uses of the roselle (Ilibisciis sahdarijfa L.), a tropical plant re- 

 lated to cotton and okra. This plant is quite extensively growTi 

 in Queensland, Australia, and has been introduced in Florida 

 and California. It })roduces the roselle fiber of commerce and 

 the thickened, reddish caliees, which surround the seed pods, 

 are used for the manufacture of jams and jellies. The calyx 

 contains nearlv the same constituents and in nearlv the same 

 ]HMj tortious, and possesses the same flavor, color, and jelly-mak- 

 ing properties, as the cranberry. It is suggested that roselle 

 may become of importance in the south as a substitute for this 

 fruit.— B. E. L. 



Af the iitsttfjahoii of Professor L. Cocl'ayiie, the well 

 knijwn Xew Zealand botanist, the Board of Governors of Can- 

 terbury College has decided to establish a sub-alpine station in 

 the Southern .Vlps of Xew Zealand where the mountain flora 

 can be studied under natural conditions. This, it may be be- 

 lieved, is the most important step in botanical teaching and in- 

 vestia'ation which has vet been taken in Australasia. Professor 

 Cockayne is tlie author of a report on the l)otanv of Kapiti 

 Island, rightlv reo'arded as a Xatural Historv Sanctuarv in that 

 part of the world. It is much to 1)0 hoped that tlie work so well 

 commenced will be extended to the whole of Xew Zealand, and 

 that the Government will exercise wisdom and foresight in af- 

 fording means for the continuation of the survey. The present 



