BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 295 



bearing upon the evolution of the genus Cypripedium," in which 

 he noted the discovery of a Cypripedium with an almost perfectly 

 regular flower, and from its structure called attention to the 

 probable morphology of the normally modified parts. 



15. Dr. W. G. Farlow spoke upon ''Some Algse found in 

 water supplies," in which an interesting account was given of 

 the author's investigation of the water supply of Boston, the 

 Nostocs with "cucumber taste" and those with •' pig-pen odor/' 

 the dangers to be anticipated in using water from any lakes in 

 general, and Minnesota lakes in particular, and the care necessary 

 to avoid them. Incidental reference was also made to Prof. 

 Arthur's discovery of Rivuldria fluitans the year before. 



16. Dr. W. G. Farlow also spoke upon " Certain parasitic 

 Fungi," being an account of some of the most injurious species of 

 the genus Peronospora. 



17. C. Richardson read before the Chemical Section a 

 paper upon " Sotol, a Mexican forage plant." The plant in ques- 

 tion is Dasylirion Texanum, and is used as a forage plant in 

 Texas, sheep hecorning very fond of it, and when using it can do 

 without water for several weeks. A plain covered with it was 

 described as looking like a field of cabbages. 



It will be seen by this hasty summary that botany was well 

 represented at Minneapolis, and it is the expectation that Phila- 

 delphia will witness a far greater gathering of botanists and 

 botanical papers. — J. M. C. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



Aquilegia longissiina is the name (for which, I believe, I am responsible) 

 of a species discovered by Dr. Palmer, in Northern Mexico, and distributed in 

 his collection. From Dr. Palmer's seeds plants were raised in the Botanic 

 Garden here, and probably elsewhere. Its first blossoming seemed to be out of 

 season, and abnormal ; but it is now blossoming well, and if by no means the 

 handsomest species of the genus, is the most extraordinary. It is just coming 

 into blossom now, in the latter days of July, when its relative, A. chrymntha, 

 has passed its prime. The spurs (from which it gets its name) are as much 

 longer than those of A. chrysantha and A. coirulea as those are of the old-fash- 

 ioned species. They are four inches long, and slender-filiform, even quite to 

 their origin. The limb of the petals, which in .4. chryscmtha often nearly 

 equals the sepals, and inclines to spread, is in this species about as widely 

 spreading and almost as long as the narrower (lanceolate) sepals, elongated- 

 spatulate in form, the orifice of the spur at its Y ase, abrupt and barely a line in 

 diameter. The flower, as in its relative, is erect or a little inclined ; the 

 straight spurs, with a manifest nectariferous knob at base. One would like to 

 know what Lepidopterous insect it is that drains it. — A. Gray. 



