64 THE JOl'RXAL OF BOTANY 



on a large area of Mi/rica in the peat moors of Somei*set show that 

 there is always a small proportion of monoecious plants, which present all 

 gradations hetween the normal pistillate and staminate types. Further, 

 it has heen found that the sex of a plant may vary from year to year. 

 The monoecious plants may be grouped as follows : — {a) Plants bearing ■ 

 both staminate and pistillate catkins of the normal type. These occur 

 on different slioots, or they may be mixed on the same shoot. In the 

 latter case, usually the lower part of the shoot is staminate and the 

 upper part pistillate, but the reverse order may obtain. Staminate, 

 pistillate, and mixed shoots may occur on the same plant, and the 

 proportions of each var}^ considerably, {h) Plants bearing andro- 

 gynous catkins. Such catkins usually contain stamens below and 

 pistils above, -but the reverse arrangement is found also, (c) Plants 

 whose catkins consist of hermaphrodite flowers. These flowers (like 

 the unisexual flowers) occur singly in the axis of the catkin scales. 

 Each flower consists of a central ovar}^ surrounded b}'' 3 or 4 stamens 

 (less commonly 2). Just below the insertion of these on the short 

 floral axi.s, tliere are two small outgrowths corresponding to the 

 " bracteoles " of normal pistillate flowers; The pistillate flower 

 consists of an ovary flanked by two " bracteoles " adnate to it, which 

 enlarge and persist in the fruiting stage ; the staminate flower consists 

 of a group of stamens (commonl}^ four), without bracteoles. The 

 hermaphrodite flowers are proterogynous. They produce normal 

 fruits, and their stamens are functional. Among plants or shoots 

 marked and examined in successive years, some showed progressive 

 change from pistillate to staminate during several seasons ; e. g. plants 

 producing abundant fruit in 1913 showed mixed shoots in 1914, and 

 in 1915 became almost entirely staminate. In 1916 several such 

 cases showed indications of the reverse change. Some plants appear 

 to be continually fluctuating, while others remain stable for many 

 seasons. 



The recently issued part (vol. vi. part 3) of the Transactions and 

 Proceed ings of the Perthshire Society of Natural Science contains a 

 second portion of the " Notes on Koses " by the President, Mr. W. 

 Barclay, which it may be regretted does not appear in some publica- 

 tion more readily accessible. It is largely concerned with Rosa 

 spinosissima (spelt throughout "■ spinossissima'") and its hybrids; 

 Mr. Harclay retains this name for the plant, considering that Crepin's 

 view that Linnifius intended by it P. ciunamomea (spelt '' cinna- 

 monea ") is untenable. Mr. Arthur Bennett has notes on Pota- 

 mageton crispusy.alpiniis, -a hybrid new to Britain which has been 

 found in Pertlishire, and P. gracilis Wolfg., from the same county ; 

 Ascherson and Graebner's monograj^h of the genus in Das PJianzen- 

 reich (1907) is somewluit severely and doubtless deservedly criticized, 

 though the criticisms might with advantage have been more clearly 

 expressed. 



We regret to record the deaths of Daniel Oliver, which occurred 

 at Kew on December 21st, and of Clement Heid, who died at 

 Milford-on-Sea on December 10th ; notices of each will appear in an 

 early issue. 



