SHORT NOTES 



369 



Dothidella Betula-nancB (see Sacc. Syll. Fung. ii. 629). Since the 

 leaves were gathered in August, the spores are not formed, but 

 the locuH and asci are perfect, and show unmistakably that they 

 belong to this species, which is recorded by Karsten from Eussian 

 Lapland. The spores ripen on the fallen leaves in the following 

 spring. 



SHORT NOTES. 



CuscuTA ON Limestone Polypody. — During an extended visit 

 to the French and Swiss Alps last summer I was struck by the 

 abundance of Dodder in various places and upon a variety of 

 plants, as, e. g. upon Eiqjhorbia Cyparissias in quantity in the 

 Zinal Valley and upon Carduits defloratus and Teucrium montanum 

 in the same district. I did not critically examine the flowers, but 

 believe the species was the common Cuscuta Epithymum Murray, 

 except when growing on Lucerne and Clover, where Babington 

 would have called it C. Trifolii I suppose. "What I also believe 

 to be C. E'pithymum was actually parasitical upon a couple of 

 fronds of the Limestone Polypody [Polypodium Bohertianum 

 Hofi'm.). I am not aware that any kind of Dodder has yet been 

 recorded as parasitical upon a fern ; but Mr. Marre cites Lotus 

 comic ukU us, Lavender and other Labiates, Hypericum, species of 

 Heath, Achillea millefolium, and even (according to Prillieux) Rye- 

 grass, as having been attacked by this species. An interesting 

 and useful article upon "Dodder " and how to exterminate it, with 

 two beautiful coloured plates of G. Trifolii and C. epilinum upon 

 their hosts, appeared in the Journal of the Board of Agriculture, 

 Sept. 1906. In 1907, in the Maritime and Dauphiny Alps, I 

 found at least two kinds of Dodder growing in hot places up to 

 7000 ft., but I gave the specimens away later without determining 

 with certainty the species of this perplexing genus. — H. Stuabt 

 Thompson. 



The "Cotyledon Gall" of Quebcus pedunculata. — This 

 gall was discovered as late as 1877, on Q. Cerris. This species is 

 unknown to me within many miles of Cadney-cum-Howsham, 

 North Lincolnshire. Yet, under a Q. pedunculata tree, my son 

 picked up some acorns galled by Andricus glandium at Howsham, 

 on October 27th. According to the late E. T. Connold, " Cameron 

 says ' they take from three to four years to arrive at maturity. 

 Can the prolonged heat of this summer have caused an exception 

 to this rule? My reason for asking is simple. In one of the 

 acorns found there was a hole like that made by the beetle Bala- 

 rinus nucum in the hazel-nut. The plurilocular but unilarval 

 cells were empty. There is, however, another supposition. Can 

 it be that, owing to the late warm summer, parasites (" species 

 undetermined," Connold says) have destroyed the pupoe and de- 

 parted by the hole observed ? — E. A. Woodruffe-Peacock. 



Channel Island Plants. — Among the treasures in Kew 

 Herbarium awaiting the industry and leisure of an enthusiastic 

 Journal op Botany.— Vol. 49. [Dec. 1911.] 2 p 



