1912] CURRENT LITERATURE 267 
from Virginia (about 1614), and therefore that it did not originate in cultiva- 
tion.” Since the writing of the paper, the author has had an opportunity to 
examine type specimens and early collections in London, and is now inclined 
to believe that this “‘first Oenothera’’ was rather the European O. biennis, with 
somewhat large flowers but shorter style. It is of further interest to note in 
the paper that the author regards O. Lamarckiana and all open-pollinated 
forms as hybrids and not pure races, in the sense that they have undergone 
crossing in nature as well as in gardens. This means that the important 
matter to investigate is the relation between this crossing and the phenomena 
of mutation. At the same time, the author does not believe that there is 
evidence for regarding O. Lamarckiana as an ordinary synthesized ca 
sige by the crossing of such forms as O. grandiflora and O. biennis 
J..Da. © 
Influence of aspect on vegetation.—From a careful study of the dis- 
tribution of various plant associations and plant species on the mountain sides 
of southern Arizona, BLUMER’ states as a general truth that reversion of 
aspect takes place with change of altitude. Various species of oak and pine 
furnish much of the evidence upon which this generalization is based, hence 
the distribution of Quercus reticulata upon the Santa Rita Mountains may be 
cited as an example. It is first found in shaded situations upon north slopes 
at 6000 feet, and becomes common as a tall clean coppice form at 6500 feet, 
spreading to the east and west slopes. At 8000 feet it is practically absent 
from the north side, is abundant on the east and west, and has begun to appear 
freely on the south side, where it continues as a chaparral growth to an altitude 
of 9400 feet. A similar change of aspect is exemplified in the occurrence of 
various other Krew The factor concerned in these changes of aspect is the 
difference in isolatio 
The species studied seem to have occupied all the naan ey are capetit 
of doing, those with the widest range of variations in form 
by virtue of their plasticity, the widest distribution, but even to such forms 
no extension of range seems possible while the present topography and climate 
endure.—Gro. D. FULLER 
Orchid bulbs as fungicides.—Small portions cut from the bulbous 
parts of certain orchids appear to have a toxic effect upon the mycorhiza of 
the same plants. In experimental cultures conducted by BERNARD” they were 
very fatal to the hyphae of some species of the fungi, destroying all that came 
in contact with the fluids diffusing from the bulbous material. Certain other 
species of fungi isolated from orchid roots proved more resistant, fatal effects 
being evident only in the presence of larger masses cut from the bulbs. Heated 
5 BLUMER, J. C., Change of aspect with altitude. Plant World 14: 236-248. 1911. 
6 BERNARD, NoeEL, Sur la function fungicide des bulbes d’Ophrydées. Ann. Sci. 
Nat. Bot. IX. 14:221-234. 1911. 
