88 ' The Botanical Gazette. [March, 



Alopecurus bulbosus L. and the bulbous Festuca spadicea L., the only 

 ones of this group which occur in Middle-Europe. 



The author, has, however, observed similar forms to be abundant 

 and more characteristic of other parts of the world. Those he enu- 

 merates from our own country are as follows: From California and 

 the Western States the tuberous Metica bulbosa Gey., California! 

 Scribn., spectabilis Scribn., fugax Bob, bromoides Gray and subulata 

 Scribn., Beckmannia eruciformis Host, and finally from Mexico the 

 tuberous Panicum bulbosutn Kth., scaberrimum Lag. and T&rreyi Tourn. 



These tuberous and bulbous forms only occur in countries with 

 periodical dry seasons, and none have been observed in the moist 

 parts of the tropical region. It is very interesting to learn that the 

 author does not consider these tubers or bulbs as reservoirs of starch 

 or sugar, as are the similar organs of Liliacese, Iridaeese, etc. Though 

 they are structurally homologous with these, physiologically they are 

 water-reservoirs. The author has shown that Poa bulbosa on being 

 cultivated in moist soil almost lost its bulbous character. 



The second group, Gramma funicata, includes forms in which the 

 base of the culms and shoots are covered with at least three faded 

 sheaths. These all inhabit dry localities. In those forms which prefer 

 damp or shaded places, there is usually but one faded sheath present* 

 and even that disappears very soon. The typical tunic-grasses are 

 especially characteristic of the Mediterranean region, and besides the 

 tuberous and bulbous forms, all the other perennial Mediterranean 

 species belong undoubtedly to this group. The author distinguishes 

 between straw- and fiber-tunics; in the former the sheaths remain com- 

 plete, although faded, in the latter* the sheaths break up into fibers. 

 Of these two groups the fiber-tunics are characteristic of the Medi- 

 terranean region, while the straw-tunics occur in all the other countries 

 with similar climate. Some forms from Australia, Capland, India, 



Brazil and North America show the development of wool or felt on 

 the sheaths, as for instance Eragrostis eriopoda, Dant/wnia lanotd. 

 Bouteloua eriopoda and others, representing wool- and felt-tunics. The 

 function of these different tunic structures is undoubtedly to serve as 

 rvoirs of water, as has been proved experimentally in the case of 

 Koeleria setacea and a variety of Andropogon contortus. The author 

 of this interesting paper calls the attention of botanists for further 

 studies upon this subject. — Theo. Holm. 



Minor Notices, 



Mr. A. S. Hitchcock, of the Shaw School of Botany, has just 

 published a catalogue of the vascular plants in the vicinity of Ames, 

 Iowa. It is no. 7 of the contributions from the Shaw School. The 



