84 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JULY 
The second of these papers contains an analysis of the flora of the various 
mountain grasslands, those of the montane zone receiving most attention. 
any species are common to the montane and subalpine zones, rather more to 
the montane and plains, while a smaller number are limited to either the 
northern or the southern montane zones only. Little attempt is made to 
analyze the composition and dynamics of the various grassland associations.— 
Gro. D. FULLER. 
Fungus lore.—In his presidential address before the British Mycological 
Society in 1914, BULLER* has given a very interesting account of what he calls 
the fungus lore of the Greeks and Romans. It is an admirable résumé of the 
ancient literature of fungi, and gives to the general botanist much information _ 
which he will prize. Such topics as the following suggest the kind of informa- 
tion presented: edible and poisonous fungi, the dawn of mycology, the first 
known illustration of a fungus, the rust disease, the origin of fungi, the medicinal 
properties of fungi, the origin of poisons in fungi, the cultivation of fungi, 
the misuse of classical names by LINNAEUS, etc. It is shown that the Greeks 
and Romans were familiar with many kinds of edible and poisonous fungi. 
As to the origin and reproduction of fungi, they were in complete ignorance, 
in general being contented to accept a theory of spontaneous generation. 
In a presidential address before the Royal Society of Canada in 1915, 
BULLER” continues the publication of his historical researches by Pees 
an account of ‘‘MicHELI and the discovery of reproduction of fungi 
M.C 
Blooming period of Dendrobium.—RutTGERS and WENT” have investigated 
the factors concerned in the blooming of Dendrobium crumenatum, whose 
flowers open simultaneously on different individuals. They find that this 
coincident blooming of different plants depends upon the prevailing external 
conditions; and since these may vary in different places, the blooming period 
shows local variations. They conclude that light cannot exert any definite 
influence on the time of blooming, although it influences the number of flowers; 
and therefore they consider temperature or atmospheric moisture, or both 
factors together, to be responsible. The development of the flowers proceeds 
slowly up to a definite stage, at which they remain until some inhibitory 
influence is resolved by external factors. When this has occurred, the last stage 
in the opening of the flowers is accomplished in a few days. The external 
23 BULLER, A. H. R., The fungus lore of the Greeks and Romans. Trans. British 
Mycol. Soc. pp. 66. 1914. 
% Buiter, A. H. R., MIcHELI the discovery of reproduction in fungi. Trans. 
Roy. Soc. Cehede 9:1-25. pl. 4. 
277 RutcErRS, A. A. L., and wis nt, F. A. F. C., Periodische Erscheinungen bei 
den Bliiten ua Dendrobium crumenatum Lindl, Ae: Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg 14:129- 
160. pl. 22. figs. 5. 1915. 
