46 THE JOURNAL OF BOTANY 



BOOK-NOTES, NEWS, dc. 



Messrs. Dent's little volume entitled Plant Life and Structure 

 (price Is. net) is one of the " Temple Cyclopaedic Primers," *' a series 

 of volumes of condensed information introductory to great subjects, 

 written by leading authorities, both in England and abroad, adapted 

 at once to the needs of the general public, and forming intro- 

 ductions to the special studies of scholars and students." The 

 book, which is a translation from the German of Dr. E. Dennert 

 by Clara L. Skeat, is a neat little work in small 8vo, with 116 pages 

 and fifty-six figures. It is fairly accurate, but it is not easy to 

 understand to what class of reader it will prove useful. The in- 

 formation is certainly condensed, far too condensed for the general 

 public ; and, as regards the more serious student, there are several 

 inexpensive books which will give a practical working introduction 

 to the science, such as cannot possibly be acquired from this little 

 primer. 



At the meeting of the Linnean Society held on Nov. 15th, 1900, 

 Mr. W. B. Hemsley exhibited a number of specimens and drawings 

 of Fitchia, including a new species from the island of Raratonga, 

 in the Cook Archipelago, discovered by Mr. T. F. Cheeseman. 

 The genus was described from specimens thought to have been 

 procured on Elizabeth Island, a remote coral island in the Eastern 

 Pacific ; but Mr. Hemsley gave reasons for believing that the 

 locaUty of the plant described by Sir Joseph Hooker was Tubnai 

 Island, in the same latitude, but 20° further to the west: an island 

 of volcanic origin and mountainous, and theretore more likely than 

 a coral island to be the habitat of such a plant, especially as it was 

 originally discovered by Banks and Solander in Tahiti. Only three 

 or four species are known : they are small resiuiferous shrubs of 

 tree-like habit, with rather thick branches, opposite simple leaves 

 borne on slender stalks, and terminal, usually solitary flower-heads. 

 The systematic position of Fitchia is not very evident ; although 

 usually placed in the Oichoriacece, Mr. Hemsley considered its 

 affinities as a resiniferous plant to be with the Heliantkoidece, 

 and near to Petrobiam. After discussing the views of systematists 

 on this point, he briefly described the new species from Raratonga 

 {Fitchia nutans), remarking that it secreted a resin which is exuded 

 on the young branches and flower-heads, and is used to prepare an 

 agreeably odoriferous oil. 



At the same meeting Mr. W. C. Worsdell read a paper entitled 

 ♦'Further Observations on the Cycadacece,'' intended to throw 

 additional light on the problem as to the phylogenetic origin 

 and relationships of this group of plants. By some authorities 

 these have been considered as allied to the Conifers, while in 

 appearance they resemble palms and ferns. They are now con- 

 fined to the warmer regions of the globe, though they were formerly 

 widely distributed. The group was at its maximum in Jurassic and 

 Triassic times ; and Cycad remains, especially in the Lias and the 

 Oolite, are familiar to palaeontologists in this country. This paper, 



