Resume of Recent Scientific Publications. 459 



grass, and that consequently no other grass or cereal can infect 

 the wheat. 



Another even more important observation seems to indicate 

 that some forms of the parasite live in the tissues of the 

 apparently healthy plant in a kind of dormant, or rather, as the 

 author calls it, symbiotic state, and develop the mycelium, and 

 subsequently the spores, comparatively rapidly when the weather 

 becomes specially favourable. The author thinks it possible that 

 the fungus in this stage — for which he suggests the name of 

 "mycoplasma" — may have existed in the plant, or even in the 

 seed, long before it became outwardly visible. Should this view 

 be confirmed by further investigations, it might lead to the dis- 

 covery of some remedial or protective treatment of equal efficacy 

 as that used against smut, while all attempts in this direction 

 have failed hitherto. 



Wood, Medley, and Evans, Maubice S. " Descriptions and Figures 

 of Natal Indigenous Plants, with notes on their distribution, 

 economical value, native names, &c, &c," vol. i., part i., large 

 4to, pp. 41, with 50 plates. Durban. Bennett & Davis 

 1898. 



The principal objects of the authors in publishing this work 

 are : "1. To enable colonists to identify some of the wild plants 

 coming under their notice, and to call attention to points of 

 interest connected with them. 2. To endeavour to stimulate 

 a continued interest in botany among younger colonists who may 

 have acquired a knowledge of the rudiments of the science at 

 school, and who may be in danger of losing interest in the sub- 

 ject for want of such information as we may perhaps be able to 

 supply. 3. To put on record accurate botanical descriptions 

 and figures of noteworthy plants which may be of use to botanists 

 generally. 4. To publish in the Colony descriptions of plants 

 new to science found in Natal." 



The authors state that the second part of the volume, with 

 an equal number of plates, will be published in due time, but 

 " beyond this they cannot promise to go without a fair amount 

 of support from the public." 





