96 THE PLANT WOKLD 



of a generic name, and Linnaeus' 3Iimosa sensitiva is a binary name of 

 wliicli the significancy of tlie two terms is exactly the same; it is equiv- 

 alent to saying Sensitiva sensitiva. That is about the sum of the ety- 

 mology of the generic name Mimosa. — Edward L. Greene, Washington, 



D. C. 



More about Fungus Spores as Bee-bread. 



The article by W. H. Lang, Jr., on "Fungus Spores as Bee-bread" 

 in the March number of The Plant World (page 49), reminds me of a 

 similar case to which my attention was called many years ago. I was 

 at that time a student in the Lawrence Scientific School of Harvard 

 University (1875-76), and was working in the Botanical Department. 

 Dr. Gray came in one day, and called my attention to a letter from 

 some one in California who said that his bees were using a yellow dust 

 which they found on cottonwood leaves for bee-bread. The corres- 

 pondent sent samples of the leaves, and at Dr. Grya's suggestion I 

 made a careful examination, finding that the " yellow dust " was the 

 mass of uredospores of the well-known " cottonwood rust," one of the 

 Uredineae {Melampsora popidina (Jacq.) Lev.) Considerable interest 

 was aroused at the time over this matter, and I am under the impres- 

 sion that a notice of the fact was made in some of the journals, but am 

 not certain in regard to this point. If publication was made, it was 

 probably in either the American Journal of Science or the American 

 Naturalist. — Charles E. Bessey, University of Nebraska. 



Sabbatia campestris in Oklahoma. 



In riding over the prairies during the month of Jul}', a very inter- 

 esting feature of the landscape is this species of Sahhafia. They form a 

 pleasing contrast with the green prairie gVass, as their pink blossoms 

 are quite prominent. The range of the plant seems to be somewhat 

 restricted in Oklahoma. I have found it as far north as the southern 

 border of Kansas, as far west as western Garfield county, and east to 

 Payne county. The southern and southwestern limits I have been un- 

 able to determine. The preference of the species is for open prairies, 

 although it is occasionally found in low places. As to number of 

 plants, they seem to be inexhaustible. They thrive very well in the 

 thickest grass, and it is here that they reach their greatest height, about 

 ten inches. But as to number of individuals, the best growth is made 

 about the margins of buffalo wallows, where the grass is thinner. 

 Here the plants are also more hardy. They form a fringe about the 

 wallows which is very jjleasing in appearance. The flowering season 

 in this latitude is from the last of June to the first of August, with a 

 maximum number of blossoms about July 20th. — Paul J. White, Uni- 

 versity of Oklahoma. 



