230 



in process of evolution, not, like some of the other genera, 

 decadent, or almost extinct as he shows for Delissea. Six of the 

 Hawaiian genera are endemic there, only Lobelia being found 

 elsewhere. This highly endemic generic proportion naturally 

 opens up many problems of distribution, "age and area" possi- 

 bilities, and that part of the volume which discusses these 

 problems is naturally the most readable. 



The reviewer recently had occasion to look over two papers on 

 these islands for Botanical Abstracts (Nos. 822 and 832, Decem- 

 ber, 191 8) which showed that for Hawaiian ferns and their allies 

 the relationship was mostly with the east apparently because 

 they are unfitted for overseas transportation; while for strand 

 plants, of which there is a high percentage of endemics the 

 affinities seem to be with America. Mr. Rock shows that four 

 of the Hawaiian endemic Lobelioideae, among them the numerous 

 Cyaneas, are related to American genera. Not very closely 

 related, however, as no Hawaiian lobeliaceous genus is actually 

 in America. Lobelia, being rather generally distributed, is there- 

 fore not significant in this connection. 



Of course the main portion of the book is taken up by the keys 

 to species and their description and illustration. There are also 

 discussions of the insect and bird visitors of the plants, flowering 

 season, root systems, altitudinal range, and some account of the 

 cultivated species. The book, then, is truly a monograph in 

 the best sense of that much misused word. — N.T. 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE CLUB 



Meeting of May 28, 1919 



The meeting was held in the Morphological Laboratory of the 

 New York Botanical Garden, beginning at 3:30 P.M., with 

 Vice-President Barnhart in the chair. There were thirteen 

 persons present. 



The minutes of the meetings of April 30 and May 13 were read 

 and approved. Mrs. N. L. Britton gave an informal report of 

 the special meeting of the Club in conjunction with the Wild 



