VOL. Ill] Recent Literature. 369 



improved il the author had given us some idea ot the curvature 

 of the throat, the presence or absence of crests and some indi- 

 cation of the shape of the seeds. As these points are usually at- 

 tended to in descriptions of CoUinsia, their lack leaves few data 

 for comparison. In all species where account is made of the seeds, 

 the ovules should be numbered instead, as they are usually much 

 less variable. It is probably identical with Dr. Kellogg' s C. solitaria, 

 which was described from the vicinity of Oakland. No type specimen 

 has been found, but the description so far as it goes agrees with the San 

 Francisco plant. The original C sparsiflora was however a coast 

 plant collected a short distance above San Francisco, and before at- 

 tempting to separate species from it, it would be well to examine the 

 type which is only too likely to be the same as C. Franciscana. 



In "Notes and News'" Mr. Greene takes occasion to sneer at a 

 paper by Professor Coulter and Mr. E. M. Fisher in the November 

 number of the Bo.'a/ikat Gazette, on account of the personal names 

 bestowed on the new species. It must be admitted that such names 

 are not in the best taste, but the remarks thereon come with poor 

 grace from the author of Madia Rammii, Cleve/andia Be'dingii, 

 Pote?itilla Micheneri.Streptanthiis Biolettii, Bceria Burkei Convolvtiliis 

 Binghamice, Collomia Raicsoniana, etc., etc. Perhaps, however, the 

 creator of these names salves his conscience by remembering that 

 they are principally synonyms. K- B. 



Contributions from the Botanical Lalyoratory of tiie University of 

 Pennsylvania. Vol. i. No. i. Unlike the usual contributions from 

 botanical laboratories, the papers contained in this are largely physi- 

 ological. They are: A monstrous specimen oi Rudheckia hirta, by J. 

 T. Rothrock ; Contributions to the history of Dioncea muscipula, by 

 J. M. MacFarlane; An abnormal development of the inflorescence of 

 Dionaea, by John W. Harshberger; Mangrove tannin, by H. Trim- 

 ble; Observations on Epigiea repens, by W. P. Wilson; A nascent 

 variety of Brunella vulgaris, by J. T. Rothrock; Preliminary ob- 

 servations on movements of the leaves of Melilotus alba and other 

 plants, by W, P. Wilson. The volume is enriched with twelve plates. 



Contributions to the Life Histories of Plants. No. 8. By Thomas 

 Meehan. Extract from Proc. Philadelphia Academy, 1892. 



This is another of the interesting papers recording observations, 

 principally on the fertilization of flowers, of which several previous 



