147 



Related to Pmnivs serotina, from which it is distinguished by the 

 deltoid acute sepals and by the delicately reticulated and differently 

 shaped leaf-blades. Mr. Howard Lacy, a resident of the 

 region where P. eximia grows, informs me* that the fruit of the 

 .tree is sweet and much eaten by the children. He says also that 

 it has a great attraction for bears and hogs. — J. K. Small. 



Field Days of the Torrey Botanical Club. — David S. 

 George acted as the representative of the New York Botanical 

 Garden on the excursion to Rockaway Park, Long Island, Sep- 

 tember 7th. A few interesting coast plants were collected, 

 among which were Cakile cdentala (Bigel.) Hook.; Salsola Kali 

 L.; Teucrium littorale Bicknell, one of the recent segregates of 

 T. Canadense L. ; Lechea maritima Leggett ; Ammophila arenaria 

 (L.) Link, which is abundant here ; Clmetocldoa glauca (L.) 

 Scribn. and the pretty pink-flowered Sabbatia stellaris Pursh. 



Between Monachie and Woodridge, Bergen Co., N. J., Sep- 

 tember 2 1st, Mr. G. V. Nash collected Eupatorium album L.; 

 Gentiana Saponaria L. ; Parnassia Caroliniana Michx.; Spartina 

 poljslaclij a (Michx.)FA\.\ Cinna arundinacea L.,with purplish pan- 

 icles ; Zizania aquatica L. and Woodzvardia areolata (L.) Moore. 



S. H. BURNHAM. 



A new common Name. — It seems that Micrampelis lobata 

 (Michx.) Greene, the wild balsam-apple, mock apple, or wild cu- 

 cumber, commonly cultivated and escaped in this vicinity, shares 

 with Bicuculla Cncirilaria (L.) Millsp. the euphonious appellation 

 of " Dutchman's Breeches." The allusion is to the inner fibrous- 

 netted . part of the fruit, which encloses the seeds and bears a 

 striking resemblance to a pair of wide pantaloons. 



New Jersey is a good old Dutch colony and the name may be 

 local as I never seen that it is used elsewhere. However, the 

 plant is commonly so-called in Passaic. — Edward W. Berry, 

 Passaic, N. J. 



NEWS ITEMS 



Professor Appleton P. Lyon, a member of the Torrey Botan- 

 ical Club, died suddenly at Mt. Vernon, N. Y., on November 27. 



The death of Mr. Thomas Meehan, the well-known editor 



