10 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 
in accordance with accepted notions. The physiological method : 
will bring a certainty so far as it accomplishes a conclusion, 
which the method of systematic botany does not supply. Until 
we can separate escapes from natural species, that is, until we “ 
determine species apart from changes impressed upon plants by — 
man, it seems unsafe to refer our cultivated plants to localities : 
wherein occur wildings of like species. Far preferable the argu- 
ment from historical mention of the habits and movements or 
migrations of peoples. It seems probable that variability or true- 
ness to seed may become the test as to the sufficiency of a conclusion 
in favor of or against an assigned species. This fact is an inter- 
esting one for the scholarly botanist, for it only needs the reading — 
of De Candolle’s work to realize the uncertainty at present exist- 
ing. 
ee 
GEN ERAL NOTES. 
Notes on Mahernia.—The genus Mahernia in the natural order Stereuliacear 
presents many points of botanical interest. Our readers doubtless are familiar’ 
\ with the shrub as it occurs in con- a 
two together, bell-shaped and pen- 
dant from the branches. he 
Ossoms possess a most delicious 
& always convolute to the right, and 
the other to the left. 
notes that I made upon the spe- 
cies last winter in relation to the NGS 
\ 9 manner in which its nectaries are N 
A stamen with protected from small predatory 
hairs at f, and ™sects. It will be remembered ; 
fleshy disk at d. that the five stamens are somewhat monadelphous, and that they 
stand opposed to the five petals. This ante-position suggests the suppression of 
A petal with its nectary, ”. 
