November 21, 1902.] 



SCIENCE. 



827 



types of the sweet-flag, Acorns Calamus L., 

 that with a white root being in favor, that 

 with a red root being smaller and somewhat 

 bitter, and with young leaves different in 

 color. Dr. Underwood also mentioned his 

 finding young- plants of the date-palm coming 

 lip in railway rubble at South Norwalk, Ct., 

 similarly observed on garbage-heaps about 

 New York by Mr. Eugene Smith. He also 

 spoke of the successful cultivation on a lawn 

 at Danbury, Ot., of the native orchid, Cypri- 

 podium reginm, where in four years a cluster 

 of three or four plants has increased to forty. 



Professor Lloyd reported observations near 

 Northfield, Mass., on the protonema of 

 Bchizostegaj the ' light-moss,' observing some 

 differences from European characters. Test- 

 ing a recent theory ascribing the spore-dis- 

 charge of certain mosses to the impact of 

 rain. Professor Lloyd secured interesting re- 

 sults with the capsules of Diphyscium; by 

 tapping on them so as to indicate the fall of 

 rain, the spores may be made to shoot out in 

 a mass. On Cape Cod he observed moss cap- 

 sules attached by a fungus. Beds of Poly- 

 trichum commune were also found killed by 

 a fungus. Observations made by Professor 

 Lloyd on the mode of distribution of Lyco- 

 podium lucidulum indicated a propelling 

 power (in discharging gemmse) of only about 

 three feet on a level, not of six feet as re- 

 quired by a recent theory of distribution. 

 Professor Lloyd also reported interesting ob- 

 servations on the fern Onoclea sensihilis. 

 The name of ' sensitive fern ' early used for 

 this plant, has often provoked curious in- 

 quiry. The fern proves to show a certain 

 regularity of movement; in case of cut plants 

 when drying, their leaflets when touched will 

 move toward each other with some rapidity. 

 This is a wilting phenomenon, and the mo- 

 tion is a distinct bending from the midrib. 



Dr. Tracy A. Hazen reported observations 

 about St. Johnsbury, Vt., on the black maple, 

 Acer nigrum. He maintained its specific 

 distinctness from the sugar maple. Dr. Brit- 

 ton commented on its distinctness as seen in 

 other parts of western New England and of 

 western New Tork. Its leaves are darker 

 beneath and are said to expand about two 



weeks later in spring. Its fruit is much 

 larger and there seems a difference in the 

 angle of divergence of the keys. 



Mrs. Britton reported upon observations on 

 an interesting Vittaria brought by Dr. Evans 

 from Porto Eico, and upon a form of Stachys 

 found by her on Hempstead Plains on Long 

 Island. In a white cedar swamp there she 

 observed the newly recognized fern Dryopteris 

 simulaia growing in great masses and abun- 

 dantly distinct. Mrs. Britton also spoke of 

 certain instances among the Musci of new 

 habit assumed with new habitat, as in a Lep- 

 todon, usually on trees, latterly found in tufts 

 on dry rocks; and in case of Porotrichum 

 Alleghaniense as observed at Greon Lake, 

 Jamesville, New York, an aquatic form sur- 

 viving the desiccation of the rock surfaces 

 and now assuming the habit of a Glimacium. 



Dr. Britton, whose summer was largely 

 given to administrative work, secured some 

 time for prosecution of his studies on the 

 Cyperacefe and the Crassulace^ at Kew. 

 Nearly half of the known species of North 

 American Grassulaceee are now growing in 

 Washington or at the New York Botanical 

 Garden, a necessary preliminary to proper 

 descriptive work with these plants. The 

 fleshy foliage and calyx require description 

 from the life, not, as often hitherto, from 

 herbarium specimens. Many of the numer- 

 ous Mexican Crassulacese are very local, and 

 known only from one or two localities. 



Discussion followed upon the effects of the 

 prolonged wet weather of the present season. 

 Dr. Hazen remarking upon sedges in Vermont 

 which are usually stiff, but this year were 

 very long and decumbent. 



Edward S. Burgess, 



Secretary. 



COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY GEOLOGICAL JOURNAL CLUB. 



Octoher 10. — The following original papers 

 were presented: 



Mr. D. W. Johnson, * Basaltiform Coal from 

 New Mexico.' Illustrated by specimens and 

 diagrams. 



Mr. H. W. Shimer, ' Amygdaloidal-like 

 Cavities in Basic Dikes in Vermont.' Illus- 

 trated with specimens. 



