366 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [NOVEMBER 
In addition to these Mexican studies a new genus of Commelinacez, Tre/easea, 
is established with three species, to include certain Texan and Mexican forms 
heretofore referred to Tradescantia; and three new species of Tradescantia 
from the United States are described. A new genus of Umbellifere from 
Mt. Ranier, Washington, Hesferogenia by name, is described by Coulter and 
Rose; and Mr. L. F. Henderson describes a new Aster and a new Angelica 
from Idaho. 
The part devoted to a description of the useful plants of Mexico is based 
upon the personal observations of Dr. Rose during a visit of four months in 
the summer of 1897. It is full of interesting information and photographic 
illustrations, and is very suggestive of lines of economic investigation.— 
NOTES FOR STUDENTS 
M. J. GOLDBERG’S experiments lead him to the conclusion that during 
the germination of wheat in darkness proteid substances are produced in 
the embryo in considerable quantity,3 although Godlewski in 1897 thought 
this to be impossible.s—C. R. B. 
COPELAND AND KAHLENBERG, by a series of carefully conducted experi- 
ments show that the injury to plants from solutions of pure metals (Nagell’s 
oligodynamic effect) is due to the toxicity of the compounds (salts) which the 
dissolved metals form and not to any peculiar or toxic action of the elemental 
metal.s—C, R. B 
M. W. PAaLLapiNE has determined that alternations of temperature 
accelerate the respiration of severed tips of etiolated shoots of Vicia Faba 
cultivated in 10 per cent. cane sugar. The increased energy of seapiree 
does not depend on the quantity of active nitrogenous foods, but the 7 
Cause is not yet determined.*—C. R. B. 
R J. W. HARSHBERGER has observed a distinct a curvature 
of leaf blade and petiole in Rhododendron maximum 1.7 cold the blades 
are revolute and the petiole arcuate downwards. On meen a beat 
a warm room erection and flattening were complete within five minutes. 4 
curvatures in a reverse direction are slower. Turgor variations are 
cause.—C. R. B 
(Proc. 
ITEMS OF TAXONOMIC INTEREST are as follows; GERRITT S. MILLER um 
Biol. Soc. Wash. 13: 79-90. 1899) has discussed the species of ieee 
3Rev. gen. de Bot. 11: 337-340. 1899. 
* Anzeiger Akad. Wiss. Krakau, March 1897, fide Goldberg. 
5 Trans. Wis. Acad. of Sci. 12: 454-474. 1899. 
° Revue gen. de Bot. 11: 241-257. 1899. 
7 Proc. Phila. Acad. Sci. 1899: 219-224. fig. 3. 
