THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



Desert, Lovvan, from swampy ground. The paper was illustrated 

 by mounted specimens of the plant. 



2. By Mr. A. D. Havdy, F.L.S., entitled " The Fresh-water 

 Algse of Victoria," part iii. 



The author referred to four new species of Victorian fresh- 

 water Algse, giving notes of their habitats, &c., and submitted 

 technical descriptions of them, together with a number of 

 additional records of localities for Victorian species, which were 

 taken as read. 



3. By Prof. A. J. Ewart, D.Sc, Ph.D., F.L.S., Government 

 Botanist, entitled " On Certain Supposed New Australian 

 Plants." 



The author provisionally described as new certain specimens 

 in the National Herbarium collection, which had been referred to 

 by the late Mr. Luehmann in the Victorian Naturalist for July, 

 1900 — viz., Arenaria axillaris (?), Luehm., collected by Mr. E. 

 St. Eloy D 'Alton at Dimboola ; Triglochin turrifera, collected by 

 Mr. J. P. Eckert at Taylor's Creek, in the Wimmera district ; 

 Acrotriche (Styphelia) serrulata, var. ventricosa, collected by Mr. 

 P. St. John near Lilydale ; and Boronia tetandra, var. bicolor, 

 Turcz, collected by Mr. A. Holt 50 miles north of Swan River, 

 Western Australia, and named by Mr. Luehmann B. holtii. 



4. By Mr. D. M'Alpine, entided " Notes on Rusts of Aus- 

 tralia." 



In a very interesting paper the author described at length some 

 of the groups of fungi, more particularly the red rust in wheat, 

 and pointed out the enormous losses that are sustained yearly 

 throughout the world by its agency. He briefly outlined their 

 nature and mode of life, and gave a few notes on their distribu- 

 tion in the several States of Australia, with examples of indigenous 

 and introduced forms. The paper was illustrated by a large 

 series'of photographs, specimens, and blackboard diagrams. 



Professor Ewart commented upon the economic aspect of rusts 

 and fungi, and mentioned that Professor BuUer, of Manitoba, had 

 informed him tliat from a comparatively small area in that 

 country the annual loss from rust in wheat was between one and 

 two millions sterling. He would like to know if the mycroplasm 

 hypothesis of Prof. Eriksson had received any confirmation or 

 otherwise in Australia. He trusted that Mr. M'Alpine would do 

 his best to prevent the further introduction of fungi, and, speaking 

 for himself, he would endeavour to have all noxious plants kept 

 out. 



The author stated that this hypothesis, which assumes that the 

 germ of the rust is in the seed, had not yet been proved, and 

 there was no evidence of any other mode of infection than by 

 spores. 



