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1899 ] CURRENT LITERATURE 75 
ITEMS OF TAXONOMIC INTEREST areas follows: A good figure of Hyferi- 
cum galiotdes Lam, has been published in Gardener's Chronicle (111. 24 : 301. 
1898).—Beckwithia is a new genus of Ranunculacee, described by W. L. 
Jepson (Erythea 6 :97—99. 1898). The single species, B. Austing, is said to 
be so strikingly like Vola Beckwithii in habit as to have suggested a possible 
teratological form of that species. The affinities of the genus are uncertain, 
suggesting Anemone in general appearance, and Pzonia in its more technical 
characters. The flowers have not been seen. The plant was discovered in 
odoc county, California.—John W. Harshberger has published (Proc. Philad. 
Acad, 1898 : 372-413) the results of his recent observations upon the Mexican 
flora, made mostly in the Valley of Mexico. A catalogue of species is given, 
with critical notes.—In the current Bu//. Torr. Bot. Club (25 : 561-565. 1898) 
George V. Nash has published a revision of 7Zrif/asis,a group of grasses 
frequently placed under Triodia. Three species are recognized, 7. purpurea, 
T. intermedia (a new species), and 7. Americana. In the same journal (580- 
582) A. A. Heller continues his presentation of new and interesting plants 
from western North America, including a new Hydrophyllum from Washing- 
ton.—Janet R. Perkins has published (Engler’s bot. Jahrb. 25 :547-577- 1898) 
some of the results of her investigation of the Monimiacez. After a discus- 
sion of the general features and taxonomic characters of the group, the 
author presents a synopsis of the Mollinediez, including ten genera, five of 
which are proposed as new (Macropeplus, Macrotorus, Steganthera, Antho- 
bembix, and 7 etrasynandra.)—Under the title ‘Phycological Memoirs ”’ 
DeAlton Saunders has begun a series of papers in Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 
(III. 1:147-168. 1898, with 21 lithograph plates). This first contribution 
considers “Some Pacific Coast Ectocarpacee,” and “ Sphacelariacez and 
Enceeliacee of the Pacific Coast.” Seven new species of Ectocarpus are 
described, also new species of Sphacelaria, Scytosiphon, and Colpomenia. A. 
hew genus of Encceliacee is described, founded on Punctaria Winstonit 
Ands., and named Halorhipis (‘ sea-fan"’)—J. M. C. 
IN CELEBRATION of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the doctorate of Dr. 
Melchoir Treub, director of the botanical garden at Buitenzorg, the publishers 
of the Annales of the garden have issued a supplement (pp. 167, A/. 9) con- 
taining twenty-three short papers prepared by some of those who have been 
accorded the privileges of the garden, both botanists and zoologists. Solms 
Laubach describes the development of the ovule and seed of Rafflesia and 
Brugmansia. Molisch discusses the bleeding of tropical trees in full leaf, the 
Pressure in the night often exceeding two atmospheres. Haberlandt describes 
the movements of the leaves of Biophytum, and believes the transmission of 
impulses to be through plasma connections in the cells of the vascular bundles. 
Schiffner establishes a new genus of Hepatice, Wettsteinia, based on Plagio- 
thila inversa Sande Lac., and 7y/imanthus scaber Schiff. Karsten presents 
