A MONOGRAPTT OF THE GENUS ALAETA 291 



life histories of tliese two biennial genera and of the two annual 

 genera Costaria and JJndurla. The species of Alaria being all 

 inhabitants of the northern colder seas, the author thinks it may be 

 assumed that the genus had its origin in the Northern Circumpolar 

 Sea and migrated into the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans alono- the 

 Arctic currents. The species prefer to live on steep rock}^ exposed 

 coasts, and are rarely found in quiet waters. A synoptical key to 

 the species is provided, based mainly on the sporophylls ; and"^ the 

 15 species are all described, figured, and critically discussed at some 

 length. As to their economic value, they are but Httle used as food, 

 the Laminarias with which they grow being preferred as better in 

 taste, consistency, &c. 



A. G. 

 The Genus Fumaria. 



The Journal of the Linnean Sociefi/ (Botany, xliv. no. 298) 

 dated May 16, is mainly occupied by Mr. Pugsley's " Revision of the 

 Genera Fumaria and Itupicapnos,'' concerning which a note appeared 

 in this Journal for 1917 (p. 165). Those who are acquainted with 

 tlie author's paper on " The Genus Fumaria in Britain," issued as a 

 Supplement to this Journal for 1912 and subsequently separately 

 (which is here followed in the treatment of the British species), 

 will need no assurance that this monograph is characterized by the 

 thoroughness which distinguishes all Mr. Pugsley's work : it is 

 indeed a model of completeness, for the author's treatment is not 

 limited to mere descriptions ; to each of these are appended notes 

 which not onh^ add materially to the interest of the paper but show 

 a careful and detailed study of living specimens, which is not always 

 evident in monographs. The amount of material examined is very 

 large, and is drawn not only from British but from foreign herbaria. 



as Avell as from living material. 



The descriptive portion is prefaced by sections on the classification 

 of the genera and their distribution, with a consideration of their 

 habitats; an excellent "list of works cited" shows that the author 

 has full}" investigated the literature of the subject. He gives his 

 i-easons for following Pomel in the retention of Hupicapnos as 

 a genus distinct from Fumaria, thus differing from Cosson and other 

 authors who have merged it in Fumaria. The latter name he 

 restricts to the annual species forming the section SpJicsrocapnos DC, 

 the perennial plants comprised in the section Fetrocapnos Coss. &Dur. 

 being referred to Rupicapnos. 



The genus Fumariaia divided, as by Haussknecht in Flora (1873) 

 and by Mr. Pugsley in his paper on the genus already referred to, 

 into two sections — Grandijiora and Farvijlora, the former contain- 

 ing 27 and the latter 19 species. Of these a considerable number 

 are new : F. Ballii (founded on the plant described by Ball in this 

 Journal for 1877 (p. 297) as F. agraria subsp. fenuisecta), F. duhia, 

 F. herherica, F. coccinea (K. T. Lowe MSS.), F. austral is, F. 

 Schramii, F. indica (a plant referred in Indian fioras to F. parvi- 

 jiora or F. Vaillantii) : F. Martinii Clavaud supersedes F. para- 

 doxa Pngsley, for whicli it is an earlier name- F. micrantha forma 



