BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



as it is long, this one could not have spread less than 7 feet across the 

 lower primary divisions, each one of which must have been 3 if not 

 3)^ feet long with a corresponding breadth at the base. 



The specimen was found in Brevard county and Mr. White writes 

 ine ihat there were others equally as large, // not la}\^er in the same 

 hummock. 



Nearly a'l of the English authors state that the common brake in 

 England often attains the heij,ht of 10 and 12 feet, and Hooker men- 

 tions that Dr. Spruce saw it growing in the Andes 14 feel high, but 

 the dimensions of the present huge specimen exceed any heretofore 

 recorded in this country, and make the old tradition of the Duke of 

 Monmouth's hiding beneath the shelter of a clump of this fern both 

 possible and probable. — (ino. E. Davenport, Afedford, Mass., Feb. 

 lOth, 1880. 



Colored Flowers and Insects. — I am sure many readers of the 

 Botanical Gazette feel indebted to your correspondent who showed 

 in the last number that Frinqka was a cruciferous and not a coniferous 

 plant, with some other facts in regard to the Flora of Kerguelen's 

 Land. It wou d I am sure add to our obligation if he would tell us 

 whether on this Island, or on "islands where winged insects are either 

 scarce or wanting" there are plants with flowers having showy petals, 

 or other properties attractive to winged insects. It does not, as he 

 remarks, seem strange that a plant with inconspicuous flowers should 

 exist where there are no wmged insects to carry pollen, — but the con- 

 verse which the Piinglea case may have been intended to illustrate,might 

 be worthy of consideration. What I have read of Pr'mglca indicated a be- 

 lief that ii had in the past either failed to develope showy petals, because 

 no winged insects had ever encouraged it to do so, — or that these 

 showy petals became inconspicuous, after having lost, what it formerly 

 enjoyed, the opportunity to secure insect aid, — but it would be inter- 

 esting to know why other species have not gone and done likewise, if 

 any such there be. Perhaps it is in this direction that the interest in 

 Pringka centers, as much as in whether it is a "cruciferous" or a 

 "coniferous" plant. While this error certainly served to amuse, the 

 information sought may instruct us. — *. 



Growth ok Trees. — At a meeting of the Botanical Society of 

 Edinburgli, held on Thursday, Jan. 8th, Sir Robert Christison read a 

 paper of very considerable importance on the relative growth of the 

 trunks of trees during 1879, as compared with 1878. Upwards of 

 two years ago Sir Robert set on foot a system of measurements of the 

 girths of a large number of well grown trees in Edinburgh and neigh- 

 borhood, th« measurements being made by himself with the same 

 measuring-line and the same circumference to be measured secured by 

 marking it at the time of first measurement with paint. The inclem- 

 ent character of the summer months of 1879, as compared with 1878, 

 was described by reference to the daily maximum temperatures noted 

 at the Edinburgh station of the Scottish Meteortjlogical Society trom 



