8o BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



of south-eastern Arizona, by Wm. M. Courtis. Mr. Davenport con- 

 siders it one of the most elegant species yet discovered and so differ- 

 ent from any known form that, although the material is scanty, he 

 has no doubt as to its claim to rank as a genuine species. "There is 

 no other species with which it can be compared. Under the micro- 

 scope, the white powder (upon the fronds) separates into distinctly 

 stalked gland like bodies with enlarged conical, flat or inverted heads 

 like a miniature host of fungi, with their variously shaped caps. With 

 a power of 200 diameters, or even less, the scales of the frond appear 

 to be composed of elongated, cylindrical, tapering tubes, containing 

 a light brown coloring matter, collected into a mass at the base, or in 

 spots at intervals throughout the length of the otherwise whitish 

 scales, which are thus made to appear jomted." 



American Naturalist, June. — This journal, of course, runs to 

 Zoology, as is to be expected from the tastes of both its editors. 

 Every department has a specialist in charge of it except lx)tany, and, 

 of course, the botanical notes lose just that much in force and author- 

 ity. But the wants of botanists have not been entirely neglected, and 

 we have to thank the Naturalist this year for several valuable articles. 

 The most interesting one in the June number is Prof C. E. Bessey's 

 on "The Supposed Dimorphism of Lithospermum longiflorum." The 

 author seems to have made a most exhaustive study of this species, 

 carefully measuring the length of corolla tube, the height of anthers 

 and the height of stigma of over 60 flowers, with the view of testing 

 the supposed dimorphism. The results show great variation in the 

 measurements, but nothing like the well-marked differences that ap- 

 pear in true dimorphism, such as that of the nearly allied L. caiicscens. 

 The results are summed up as follows : 



I St. The length of the corolla is exceedingly variable. 



2d. The distance from the anthers to the top of the corolla 

 tube is approximately uniform, so that the position of the anthers is 

 largely dependent upon the length of the corolla tube. 



3d. The length of the style is even more variable than that of 

 the corolla tube. 



Mr. E. Greene writes that in his article on "Certain Silkvveeds" 

 in the last Gazette, it should read of A. Sullivantii that it is more 

 common in Minnesota than in other locality further south, rather than 

 "north," as it is printed. Also A. spcciosa has not been reported far- 

 ther east than Nebraska, instead of "Nevada." 



Hygienic and Therapeutic Relations of House Plants, by J. 

 M. Anders, M. D., Ph. D. — This small pamphlet of sixteen pages is 

 a repiint from the Pliiladelphia Medical Times. It will be remember- 

 ed that Dr. Anders last year published in the American Naturalist 

 some articles in which were recorded some very careful observations 

 with regard to the moisture evaporated by plants and their beneficial 

 influences. The present paper is meant as an answer to the common 

 question, "How do plants in rooms affect the health of the inmates ?" 



