180 ERYTHEA. 
botany, viz: 1. The relations of inflorescence to cross-fertil- 
ization illustrated by the plants of eastern Massachusetts. 2. 
Experiments affording evidence for or against the theory of 
evolution. 
Onz of the most useful compilations to systematists through- 
out the country is the yearly Index to New Species of North 
American Phanerogams and Pteridophytes issued from the 
National Herbarium. That for 1892, the work of Miss J. A. 
- Clark, has just been published. It is noticeable that new 
varieties are recorded as trinomials and that personal, geo- 
graphical and similar specific names are invariably decapital- 
ized. The list shows that about five hundred and forty new 
plant names relating to North American Phanerogams were 
published during 1892, a large proportion of which were due 
to necessary changes in nomenclature. 
Four new British Hawkweeds were published in the June 
and July numbers of the London Journal of Botany. 
A bacteriological laboratory has been equipped by the post- 
graduate medical department of the University of California 
and is now open to students, 
Part I of the Index Kewensis, dealing with the nomencla- 
ture of all known flowering plants, has just been issued in 
London. It had been confided that such a work was in pro- 
gress at the Kew Herbarium and the promise of its publica- 
tion excited curiosity and interest in many quarters. 
Tur Botanical Society of France held its annual session 
May 20 at Montpellier and celebrated the third centenary of 
the founding of the Botanic Garden of that city by Henri IV 
in 1593. Busts of three Montpellierian botanists, Dural, 
Martines and Planchon, were unveiled. 
