1917.] The Fourth Indian Science Congress. cxciii 



2. Aneura Indica St. n. s. Great variations in habit and the shape 

 of the dorsal epidermal cells. The plants may be thin loosely attached to 

 the substratum, very slightly branched or simple, leading through various 

 transitional forms to those which are firmly fixed to the soil, have thick 

 lobes and are very much branched. The dorsal epidermal cells may he 

 quite flat, slightly convex externally, dome-shaped, or conical and dis- 

 tinctly papillate with distinct spaces between them. These variations in 

 habit and structure seem to depend on climatic conditious in which the 



plant grows. 



3. Metzgeria pubescens (Shrank) Raddi. The usual form found in 

 Britain has ten or eleven epidermal cells on each side of the midrib and 

 the plants are pinnate. In some plants found in Mussoorie by the writer 

 the midrib was very narrow and had only four epidermal cells on each 

 side and the plants were distinctly dichotomous. In some other speci- 

 mens found by the writer on the Chamba-Pangie road about 10,000 ft. 

 above sea level, the midrib had six or seven cells on each surface and plants 

 showed a tendency to pinnate branching owing to great development of 

 one branch. Those variations are interesting as the two characters are 



generally thought to be constant. 



4. Anthoceros Himalayensis Kashyap. The plant was described by 

 the writer from Mussoorie (New Phytologist, Vol. XIV, No. 1). The 

 sterile plants were narrow, closely attached to the soil and bore tubers 

 either marginally or ventrally or both. Specimens are found in a place 

 near Simla, under water showed broad thin lobes dividing dichotomously 

 and entirely without tubers. These plants differed from the typical 

 specimens of A. Hymalayensis so greatly that they could be referred to 

 that species only after some more specimens had been found in a moist 

 place midway between the two above-mentioned forms in habit and bear- 

 ing embedded tubers. 



The effects of Physical and Climatic conditions on the distribu- 

 tion of plants in Mysore Malnad.— By M. K. Venkata Rao. 



Introduction. Literature-abstract. The area comprising the Mysore 

 Malnad. 



Physical conditions : — T 



(!) Variations in elevation. (2) Exposure to sea breeze. (3) Long 



and narrow valleys. (4) Winding rivers and streams. (5) Evergreen 



forests. (6) Loose and pervious soil. 



Climatic conditions : — , ft , -. . .. 



(J) Variations in rainfall. (2) Prolonged drought (3) \ ariations in 



temperature. (4) Fog and humid atmosphere. (5) Heavy winds. 



Effects, (a) Direct:— m .. ., /Q * 



(1) Reduction in size of leaves. (2) Presence of aromatic oils. (.3) 



Poor quality of timber. (4) Uniformity of distribution and similarity of 



species. (5) Intense colouration of flowers. (6) Occurrence of Xero- 



phytic vegetation. (6) Indirect :— r» mT1 « r 



( 1 ) Occurrence of forests in patches in protected valleys. (2) Propor- 

 tionate increase of climbers and epiphytes. (3) Comparative absence of 

 thornv plants. (4) Abundance of Ferns and mosses. (5) Comparative 

 rarity of fresh-water species of algae except Diatoms (6) Sa P^P 1 ^ 

 fungi and Parasites plants due to decomposing vegetation. (7) very 

 wide distribution of seeds and fruits. 

 Conclusion. 



Spike Disease of Sandal.— By L. Coleman and M. S. 



X VRASIHMAN. 



This serious disease of one of the most valuable Indian Forest Pro- 

 ducts was first noticed near Fraserpet on the Coore-Mysore frontier in 



