LATERNE A BICOLIJMN ATA. Receptacle consisting of two 

 columns united at the top, and free at the bottom. Columns slightly 

 compressed, cylindrical, tapering above. Gleba attached to the 

 under side of the columns near the apex. Color, pale reddish. 



History. We are under obligations to Professor Kusano for the photo- 

 graph reproduced herewith from which the description has been made. In 

 my opinion, it is not only a previously unnamed species, but it is the first time 

 the genus Laternea has ever been recorded from Japan. The genus Laternea 



Fig. 242. Laternea bicolumnata. 



is principally an American genus, one species, Laternea columnata, being very 

 common in our Southern States and throughout South America. There is a 

 single collection of Laternea known from Africa, but we believe this is the 

 first record of the genus from Asia. The genus Laternea usually has from 

 four to five columns, and we base this species principally on the fact that it 

 has buttwo columns. Professor Kusano states this is invariably the case. There 

 has been but one similar plant named before, viz., Laternea pusilla, 3 which 

 Berkeley described from Cuba. It is very similar to the Japanese species, but 

 is a tin}- little plant, not more than one-fourth as large as the Japanese species. 

 But a single specimen of it is known, now preserved at Kew. Taking into con- 

 sideration the strong discrepancy in size and the remoteness of situation, we 

 feel that we are justified in naming the Japanese plant as a different species. 



swhen Professor Fischer wrote the first paper he had not seen the specimen, and he 

 referred Laternea pusilla as a variety of Clathrus cancellatus, and called it Clathrus cancel- 

 latus, var. pusilla, which was rather a rash proposition, for Laternea pusilla has no possible 

 resemblance to Clathrus cancellatus. After Professor Fischer had gone to London and had 

 seen the plant he corrected his name, recognizing it as a good species, but referring it to the 

 genus Clathrus. As there was already a Clathrus pusillus he renamed it Clathrus Berkeley!. 

 In my opinion there are few more distinct genera than Clathrus and Laternea, and I feel that 

 it Professor Fischer had seen the plant before passing an opinion on it, he would have saved 

 both these synonyms. 



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