277 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



Fronds of Osmunda regalis. Vermont. Aug. C. G. Pringle. 



The loose, irregular and discolored tufts of pinnules at first sight 

 are suggestive of the work of insects. The fungus in some instances 

 breaks forth along the midvein of the pinnule, but generally the whole 

 surface is roughened and defiled by it. The color of the affected pin- 

 nules varies from rusty or cinnamon brown to blackish-brown The 

 fungus is a singular one, and but a single specimen was communicated 

 to me. Further investigation of it is desirable. 



CercosporaTili^.— Spots small, numerous, suborbicular, brown 

 with a paler center ; flocci tufted, hypo])hyIlous, minute; spores ba- 

 cillary, l)rovvnish or cinereous, three to five-septate, .001-.0016 of an 

 inch long, .00015-. 00016 broad. 



Living leaves of Tilia Americana. Charlotte, Vermont. June. 

 C. G. Fringk. 



The center of the spots on the upper surface is sometimes tinged 

 with reddish-brown, on the lower surface, with cinereous. 



ZvGODESMUS ATRORUiiER. — Flncci Creeping, intricate, branclied, 

 more or less rough or- granular, forming a thin effused, dark-red, 

 tomentose stratum, spores subglobose, echinulate, .00025-0003 of an 

 inch long. 



Decaying poplar wood. Mt. Tom, Massachusetts. November. 

 //. W. Hariincss, M. D. 



This species is readily known by its dark vinous-red color. It is 

 apparently allied to Z. effiisiis, a species said to be alutaceous in color. 



Zygodksmus granulosus. — Flocci slender, smooUi, much 

 l^ranched, forming an effused ochraceous-brown stratum, the surface of 

 which is covered with granules; spores subglobose, echinulate, about 

 .0003 of an inch long. 



Decaying birch wood, Mt. Tom, Massachusetts. November. 

 H. W. Harkness. 



This is related by its granulose surface to Z. hydtwidcs, but that 

 species is described as rubiginous or rust colored, and its spores are 

 said to be .0006 of an inch in diameter. 



Caruel's New System of Plants.— We were so interested 



in looking over Prof Bessey's notice under the above caption in the 

 last American Natiiriilist, that we take the liberty of copymg it: In 

 the last number of his Giornalc Botanico Jtaliano, Caruel proposes a 

 system of plants which contains so many interesting points that it will 

 be profitable to reproduce it here in a condensed form. He recog- 

 nizes five grand divisions, viz: Gymnogama?, Bryogamae, Schistogamiv% 

 Prothallogamai and Phanerogama3. The first is equivalant to the 

 Thallophyta of many German botanists, but is treated very different- 

 ly by the author. The Myxomycetes are very properly placed at the 

 lower end of the division, in a separate class, the Plasmodiea^. In ac- 

 cordance with the rapidly growing idea first brought out by Cohn, the 

 chlorophyll-bearing and chlorophyll-free plants are not separated as 

 Algffi and Fungi ; and the lichens are considered an order constitu- 

 ting with the Sphaeride2e and Gymnoascidese the cohort Angiosporatoe, 

 the 'atter very nearly equivalent to the Ascomycetes of botanists. The 



