180 THE PLANT WOKLD 



Brown's researches in 1800-1831, we mark tlie crises in the history of 

 botany. 



The advance of the invention of the microscope in 1830 until 1850, 

 produced still a clearer insight into the processes of fertilization of 

 plants, and increased the knowledge of the processes of evolution and 

 the continuance of future generations of the species. 



Sex in plant life became established in the year 1845 to 1846. 

 Darwin's researches, in 1859, led to his great work, "The Origin of 

 Species," and he proved that the constancy of species was no longer an 

 open question. Clearness at last became established in place of super- 

 stitious obscurity observed in the ancient belief of Theophrastus and 

 Pliny. 



Mosses and fungi are no longer considered the " children of the 

 gods," dropped mysteriously from the heavens, since they appeared 

 not to produce seed or spores visible to the casual observer. Progres- 

 sive education and the inventions of magnifying agencies have estab- 

 lished scientific truths in place of oracular and mystified theories ! 



The nineteenth century closes, therefore, with having established 

 much for the science and gives auguries for future research. The revision 

 of botanical nomenclature from 1896-1900, whereby a fixed initial date, 

 1753, was adopted for all generic and specific designations, according to 

 the moral rule of priority, has become established in x>art. That is, 

 that the oldest published name in conformity with the natural system 

 shall be the legal name so long as it dates no further back than the first 

 edition of Linnaeus' Species Plantarum, 1753. 



This rule will in time tend to promote stability and uniformity of 

 nomenclature for all known species and genera in their widespread 

 continental ranges. [to be continued.] 



Briefer Articles. 



A CARNIVOROUS PLANT. 



Last summer, while traveling through the Sierra Nevada mountains, 

 the writer came across a wonderful curiosity in the plant line, known 

 as the California pitcher plant {Chrysamphoi-a Calif ornica), which is one 

 of the most ingenious traps for insects in the plant kingdom. 



The leaves of this plant are hollow tubes, in shape not unlike a 

 cornucopia. The insect when alighting upon one of these hooded tubes 

 suddenly discovers on the under side a round opening, which he con- 

 cludes is a fine shelter from rain or cold weather, and attracted by a 

 trail of honey, with which the plant is besmeared, he enters the arched 



