40 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



VII 



REPORT OF THE STATE BOTANIST 



Scientific investigations. The investigations of the State 

 Botanist during the season of 191 5 have been chiefly directed 

 toward the collection, identification and preparation of specimens 

 of plants and fungi for the state herbarium. A limited' amount of 

 time has been spent in the study of the vegetation and ecology of 

 the Oneida lake region. 



The diversified character of the vegetation of New York has 

 attracted the attention of botanists since the earliest colonial days 

 and since the publication at Upsala between the years 1743 and 

 1 75 1 of " Plantae Coldenghamiae " by Cadwallader Golden, the 

 earliest publication relating specifically to the flora of this State, 

 down to the present time, over 350 separate articles and books by 

 185 different authors have been published upon the flora of the 

 State. The growth of scientific societies in most of the larger 

 cities and the progress of botanical work in colleges and univer- 

 sities throughout the State have contributed largely to the study of 

 local floras with a corresponding increase in the publications upon 

 the vegetation of the State. A complete bibliography which may 

 serve as a source of information regarding the publications upon 

 the flora of the State and as a guide in future investigations seems 

 now particularly opportune. Considerable time has been given to 

 the preparation of such a bibliography, which is presented in 

 another place. 



Plant diseases. The principal plant diseases caused by fungi, 

 which have been submitted for examination this year have been 

 parasitic leaf diseases of ornamental and shade trees species. The 

 most noteworthy is a disease of the foliage of the wild and culti- 

 vated clematis caused by Ascochyta clematidina; a 

 disease of oak leaves caused by Gloeosporium canadense 

 and also a peculiar association of an insect gall and P h y 1 1 o - 

 sticta phomiformis ; diseases of the leaves of the woodbine 

 or Virginia creeper caused by Cercospora ampelopsidis 

 and Phyllosticta ampelopsidis, and a disease of horse 

 chestnut leaves caused by Phyllosticta paviae. These 

 are illustrated and discussed in. another place under " New or 

 Interesting Species of Fungi." 



