336 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [APRIL 
and condensedly parasitic types of Orobanchaceae.”’ The author cites the 
genera that represent the various stages in this series, and also describes the 
progressive changes in the various*structures.—J. M. C. 
Permeability.—The permeability of Laminaria agardhii as affected by 
anions from various inorganic and organic salts of sodium has been measured by 
RaBER,’S who used OsTERHOUT’s electrical conductivity method. All of the 
anions increase permeability, following in a general way the HOFMEISTER 
series. The anions arrange themselves by their effects into several groups: 
thus the monovalent, bivalent, and trivalent groups can be recognized by the 
quantitative difference in permeability change with members of each group. 
The tetravalent anion, Fe(CN)s, did not produce a fourth group, but this 
is explained as due to low concentration of the salt. The author believes that 
the effects of anions on permeability depend upon the valency of the anion, 
regardless of whether the salts are organic or inorganic.—C. A. SHULL. 
A maritime species.—Following the methods employed by BONNIER of 
climatic conditions, DANIEL’ in 1902 separated plants of Asphodelus luteus 
growing at Rennes (France) and planted portions of them in a seaside garden 
at Erquy. Asa result of the maritime climate such striking changes resulted 
in ane general fone of the plant, ¢ in Laos Branching habit of the inflorescence, 
t the seaside forms are sufficiently 
distinct to be regarded as a distinct species. This derived species he has named 
Asphodelus luteoides. This he believes to be the first recorded instance of 
maritime conditions transforming a plant to ese an extent that the resulting 
form is entitled to specific rank.—G. D. FuLLE 
Animal burrows an ecological factor.—On some small islands in the outer 
archipelago of Stockholm possessing a humid oceanic climate ROMELL” reports 
that voles eating the grass roots within their burrows upset the ecological 
equilibrium and cause strips of Sphagnum to replace the turf. The irregular 
mosaic thus formed, however, is not permanent, as the Sphagnum seems unable 
to resist the invasion of the grass—Gro. D. FULLER. 
8 Raper, O. L., A a study of the effect of anions on the permeability 
of plant cells. I. Jour. Gen. Physiol. 2:535-539. 1920; II. Amer. Jour. Bot. 
8:366-368. ro2t. 
** DanieL, Lucrus, Obtention d’une espéce nouvelle d’Ashphodéle par |’action 
du climat marin. Rev. Gen. Bot. 33:225-237, 316-327, 357-371, 420-436. pls. 3- 
Jigs. 12. 1921. 
7 RoMELL, L. G., Voles as a factor in plant ecology. Svensk Bot. Tidsk. 15:43- 
45. 192t. 
