1906] CURRENT LITERATURE 159 
Lolium-fungus and smut.—In a short paper FREEMAN?’ points out the proba- 
bility of relationship between the fungus of Lolium temulentum and the smuts. 
Partly by reason of the facts discovered by Mappox, and later independently 
discovered by BREFELD and by HeEckE, that the loose smut of wheat and the 
smut of barley can infect the young ovary directly, and that these grains, appar- 
ently normal, produce smutted plants, he is led to the belief that the Lolium- 
fungus is a smut. The behavior and appearance of the smut-mycelium in these 
mbryos is very similar to that of the Lolium-fungus, and strongly suggests a 
relationship between that fungus and the smuts.—H. HAsSELBRING. 
Contributions from Gray herbarium.?*—In the most recent contribution 
of this series, RoBinson has published some hee of his studies in the Eupa- 
torieae. There is a revision of Piquieria species being recognized, 4 de- 
scribed as new, and a new sub-genus (Erythradenia) oN eN also a revision 
of Ophryosporus, 17 species being recognized. Under the genus Helogyne its 
Synonyms are discussed, and its 4 species described (one of them is new). A 
fourth part of the contribution gives diagnoses and synonymy of Eupatorieae 
and of certain other Compositae which have been classed with them, among 
which appear descriptions of 6 new species of Eupatorium.—J. M. C. : 
N. Am. Characeae.—RoBINsoN?? has published a synopsis of the North 
American species of Chareae, one of the two subfamilies of Characeae. Of the 
four genera making up this subfamily, only Chara has been collected in North 
America. Within the range assigned, 50 species are described as belonging to 
this genus, 16 of which are characterized as new. —jJ. MC: 
Assimilation of free nitrogen by fungi. From a discussion of = results of 
than bacteria. The article is useful in that it brings together all the l‘ierature 
telating to this subject.—-H. HassELBRING. 
arate nen 
*7 FREEMAN, E. M., The affinities of the fungus of Lolium temulentum L. Annales 
Mycol. 4: 32-34. 1906. 
7° Ropinson, B. L., Studies in the Eupatorieae. Contributions from the Gray 
Herbarium of Harvard University. N.S. No. 32. Proc. Amer. Acad. 42:1-48. 1906. 
*° RoBINson, C. B., The Chareae of North America. Bull. N. Y. Bot. Gard. 
4°244-308. 1906 
HEINZE, BERTHOLD, Sind Pilze imstande den elementaren Stickstoff der Luft 
2U verarbeiten und den Boden an Gesamtstickstoff anzureichern? Annales Mycol. 
4: 41-63. 1906. 
