1899] CURRENT LITERATURE 
MINOR NOTICES. 
A monoGraPH of the hypogaeous fungi of California has been published 
by Mr. H. W. Harkness.° One hundred and eight species are described, of 
which fifty-eight are new, with five new genera. There is unfortunately no 
mtificial key or synopsis, so that the work will be of little value except to the 
specialist, and we fear he will have occasion to complain of the brevity of the 
diagnoses of new genera and species. These rarely exceed two or three lines, 
with few or no explanatory remarks.—C. R. B 
__ F.Y. Covitte and G. N. Rose have published a list of plants collected 
by Mr. and Mrs. Leonhard Stejneger on the Commander islands during 1895 
| amd 1897, These islands bear no trees, due, the authors think, to the violent 
wet winds that Sweep over them during the winter. The geographic relation- 
_ Ship of the flora is primarily Kamchatkan, with strong Aleutian and arctic 
elements, and there is almost no insular specialization. The list is reprinted 
The fur seals and fur-seal islands of the North Pacific Ocean, part 4, pp. 
3§2-361. 1899.— J. M. C. 
“BoTanizinG” is the title of the new book by the author of Zhe 
Botanical Collector’s Handbook, Professor W. W. Bailey, of Brown Univer- 
‘ i It embraces the material of the former volume but is completely 
_ ‘“wmtten and greatly improved. The amateur will here find the completest 
‘ and best directions for all kinds of botanical collecting. The author has been 
3 eased by various specialists, some making only general suggestions, others 
3 Meparing the sections relating to particular families of phanerogams and the 
: larger groups of cryptogams. Fifteen illustrations show useful apparatus for 
_ Jn of specimens. An index should have been added. The author 
: ’ 
a to delete the words “the steppes of Asia or” on page 4, 
—_— Ps : B. 
NOTES FOR STUDENTS 
at : oy aaa PAPER read before the Botanical Society of eee 
- Betaly ar: . Charles E. Bessey discussed the probable significance . 
ies with diclinism and diceciousness. He suggeste 
Ser flowers _~ plants, as shrubs and trees, as well as those epee 
Comp bi ay dispense with petals. Petaly is apparently correlate wi 
%» and apetaly with anemophily. Apetaly and diclinism appear 
alk togressively increasing aphanisis. Lists of apetalous and 
ants Were given and discussed. 
eas - Calif, Acad. Sci 
oui ale Botanizing : a guide to field-collecting and herbarium work. 
42. figs. 15. Providence: Preston & Rounds. 1899. 
- ILL. Bot. 1:241-286, db/. col. pl. 42-45. 1899. 
