Maech 18, 1898.] 



SCIENCE. 



395 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON — 288TH 

 MEETING, SATURDAY, FEBBUAEY 26- 



The evening was devoted to a ' Symposium 

 on the Teaching of Biology,' in j] which Messrs. 

 E. L. Morris, W. H. Dall, Erwin F. Smith, 

 Theo. N. Gill, H. J. Webber, B. W. Ever- 

 mann, C. W. Stiles and E. L. Greene took part. 

 The general consensus of opinion was that there 

 should be more general zoology and botany 

 taught than at present, and more work tending 

 towards a knowledge of the principles of classi- 

 fication and the systematic arrangement of the 

 various groups. 



F. A. Lucas, 



Secretary. 



TOEBEY botanical CLUB, FEBKUAKY 8, 1898. 



The evening was devoted to the Asclepias, or 

 Milkweed family. 



The first paper was by Dr. H. H. Rusby, de- 

 scribing ' A New genus of Asclepiadacese from 

 Bolivia.' Dr. Rusby discussed the tribal and 

 generic characters of that family, and exhibited 

 specimens of his new genus, which is a vine of 

 vigorous growth and of poUinial position. 



The second paper, by Miss Anna M. Vail, 

 describe a new species of Acerates, or green- 

 milkweed, with comparisons of the other spe- 

 cies already known. Specimens and illustra- 

 tions were exhibited, with remarks upon the 

 history of the genus from its earliest species, A. 

 Floridana, onward. As distinctive characters 

 of Acerates, she mentioned its aspect, its form 

 of hood and its lack of strong horn-like charac- 

 ters. The characteristics were further discussed 

 by Dr. Edward L. Greene, who was present 

 from Washington, and who emphasized the im- 

 portance of its axillary subsessile umbels and 

 the green color present in its flowers. The 

 varieties of Acerates viridiflora were then dis- 

 cussed, especially with reference to their great 

 difference in leaf-form. Miss Vail finds their 

 flowers to be identical. Mr. Rydberg reported 

 finding all four of these forms within one county 

 of central Nebraska on the sandhills, but to the 

 east the broader-leaf only and in western Ne- 

 braska a narrow-leaf variety only. 



General discussion on the Asclepias family 

 followed, participated in by Professor Greene, 

 Dr. Britton, Dr. Rusby and others. Miss Vail, 



in answer to inquiries, indicated the difiiculties 

 in the way of regarding the horn in that genus 

 as a midrib. It is very variable, often double, 

 differs in character from the still-persistent 

 midrib of the same hood, and in many Western 

 species is replaced by a broad triangular lamina. 



Miss Vail described her results when watching 

 plants of Asclepias Cornuti last summer. Bees 

 and many small insects directed themselves at 

 at once to the glutinous top of the anther- 

 column. They seemed to neglect the corona, 

 and but little secretion was apparent in it, 

 instead of the copious deposits of honey ex- 

 pected. 



Professor Greene queried if the corona in this ' 

 family might not prove to be the true corolla, 

 and cited the MalvaceiB as similar in adhesion 

 of the corolla to the stamen-tube. He said : "I 

 would exclude from Asclepias every species 

 which does not develop a terminal umbel. The 

 only invariable character by which I would dis- 

 tinguish Asclepias and related genera is found 

 in the anther-wing. The first index to a new 

 genus is its aspect. It is the part of the system- 

 atic botanist to define, if possible, what the 

 significant elements of this habit or aspect are. 

 Habit is often strongly marked, even where 

 clearly-accented characters are difiicult to find. 

 It is a nice genus which has both habit and clear 

 characters." 



Dr. Britton followed with description and 

 exhibition of a new saltmarsh Scirpiis, or bul- 

 rush, from Connecticut, related to S. robustus of 

 Pursh, but with difierent inflorescence and 

 achene. Dr. Britton also presented specimens 

 of Triosteiim angustifolium from Stratford, Ct., 

 its previously -known stations northeast of Penn- 

 sylvania being only at New Brunswick, N. J., 

 and Glen Cove, L. I. A large supply of roots 

 from Stratford are now planted at the Botanic 

 Garden to exhibit development. 



Edwaed S. Bukgess, 



Secretary. 



SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS. 



The second number of the American Journal 



of Physiology opens with a demonstration by 



Professor W. T. Porter of the compression of 



the intramural vessels of the heart by the 



