308 
rigorously suppressed, and that all tapping for wine should be 
prohibited in districts where coconut bud-rot exists. 
In view of this warning, it is disquieting to note that Mr. 
Swainson Hall has reported the existence of a disease of Oil-palms 
in the Portuguese Congo which suggests very strongly ‘* bud- 
rot.’ He states that the disease attacks the palms during the 
period of fruit-bearing. Young bunches of fruits ripen prema- 
turely, and eventually become dried up. The leaf-bases of the 
younger leaves are infected, and in the course of six to eight 
weeks the leaves wilt and fall over, finally breaking away. The 
disease eventually reaches the soft, succulent growing-point, 
which rots away, and emits an exceedingly foul odour. Attacked 
palms never recover. 
No confirmatory eyidence as to the nature of this disease has 
been obtained, but the symptoms, especially the evil-smelling rot 
of the growing-point, are certainly indicative of Bud-rot what- 
ever the cause of the disease may be. No such disease has as yet 
been reported from any other districts. 
III. Boring beetles. 
In connection with the possible spread of fungus diseases, in 
particular Ganoderma lucidum and other trunk-rotting species, 
y means of beetles, it is interesting to note that a beetle which 
was found by Mr. Swainson Hall to be doing considerable damage 
to Oil-palms has been identified by Dr. Guy Marshall as Oryctes 
owariensis, P. de B. Mr. Hall states that since the beginning of 
the year he has cut down and destroyed 40 trees attacked by this 
beetle, which attacks not only the trunks but also the top of the 
palm. It is probable that the adoption of measures to decrease 
the numbers of these beetles would also be of use in checking the 
spread of certain fungus diseases. 
L.—STELLARIA OR ALSINE. 
‘ T..A. Spracve. 
The name Alsine has been applied to three distinct genera, 
namely, Minuartia, Stellaria and Spergularia. Thus Alsine of 
a 
Britton, Small and other American botanists is Stellaria, Linn. ; 
M of Reichenbach, Hiern and Groves is Spergularia, 
to oe: 
genus Alsine, Linn. (Pentandria Trigynia), appeared in 
the Species Plantarum, ed. Sui De ote (1753 ae Genera 
rk ents th 9, p. 182 (1754). The generic description is as 
