140 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



tiou between the length and breadth of the leaflets js noticed in measuring, as well as in 

 height and dianuter of stalk. What peculiarities of soil and exposure cause such large 

 growtlis in oiu- plants can scarcely be decided, but tlu' fact remains that many of our 

 plants think nothing of attaining a size at least double that allowed by law. — M. S. C. 



RECEN'r Publications. — American Journal of Science and Arts^ August. — Dr Gray 

 has an article on "Some Points of Botanical Nomenclature," suggested by some corres- 

 pondence between a Belgian botanist, A. Cogniaux, and Alph. DeCandolle, printed in 

 the BnlleUib fJe ht Societe Royale de Botanique de Belgique, 1876. "M. Cogniaux ask 

 some questions, rising out of the way in which genera, their synonj^ms, and some 

 species are succinctly dealt with or referred to in the Genera Plantarum now in course 

 of publication." "The fact is, that the name of an author, or its abridgment, appended 

 to the name of a genus, or to a specific name, is mere bibliography, stands in the place 

 of a citation of author, Avork, page, etc." "Tliis suffix of authors' names is not a mat- 

 ter of homage or sentiment, or justice, but a matter of fact, i. e., of historical record. 

 The guiding principle to this record is, that we are not to make an author say that 

 wliich he has not said." Hence, when a new genus is made and a number of species 

 formerly belonging to other genera are said to be containetl in it, the names of the 

 original authors of those species should not be appended to the specific names, but the 

 name of the person who arranged them under the new genus. 



American Naturalist, August. — Mr. C. E. Bessey, of Ames, Iowa, has an interest- 

 ing article recording "Observations on SilpMuiii laci/datinn, the so-called Compass 

 Plant." Six tables are given giving the bearings of ninety-three leaves. About thirty 

 per cent, of the leaves observed did not vary more than five degrees, forty-two per cent, 

 not more than ten degrees, and ninety per cent, not more than forty-five degrees from 

 the meridian. The variation of fifty-four of the leaves vvas to the east, and thirty-nine 

 to the west. Many of the leaves had rotated upon their petioles in assuming their posi- 

 tions and most of these had rotated with the sun. One leaf was found to have rotated 

 through at least 270 degrees of arc to reach its final position. Mr. Bessey has also made 

 some examinations with his microscope to see whether the number of slomata upon the 

 two surfaces of the leaf had anything to do with its polarity. His observations all led 

 to the conclusion that the stomata had nothing to do with it, and we are still in the 

 dark as to the cause. 



Field and Forent, July. — The leading article is by Prof. J. W. Chickering, Jr., on 

 "A Botanical Trip to Virginia." The article contains cpiite a list of good "finds," and 

 acomijarisou of the llora of Norfolk with that of Washington, lu the minutes of the 

 Potomac-side Naturalists' Club mention is made of Dr. Vasey reading a paper upon 

 tlie distribution of trees in the United States, with the promise of its publication in 

 full in a future number. 



Gurde;u'r\s Monthli/, August, is full of interesting notes for florists and horticul- 

 turists. A i)rief article on "Rare Plants of Southern Utah," and the notes on For- 

 estry, are of special interest. 



Catalugue of Pha'.nor/ionoHx and Acrogotoux PlanJa found growing wild in the State 

 of Michigan, compiled ))y Pjlmore Palmer, M. D. of Dexter, Michigan. Tiiis catalogue 

 was mislaid or it would have been noticed in a former number, it is a neat pamphlet of 

 IG pages, containing a list of over 500 genera and about 1,:}00 si)ecies. 



Tlie Botanical Index, July. — Published by L. B. Case, Richmond, Ind. This is an 

 eight page quarterly devoted to the interests of florists. This number contains a discus- 

 sion of fjawns and Lawn plants. 



