492 Scientific Intelligence. 



with expanding corolla. The second type of disk goes with 4- 

 merous and some 5-merous flowers with corolla expanding in anthe- 

 sis, that is, to the genus Cissus. We do not see the way to 

 break this up into genera — certainly not on the number of parts, 

 for this varies in some species, and while C. stans is 5-merous, the 

 closely related C. orientcdis is 4-merous. However it may be with 

 some exotic groups, we must restore our two species, which 

 formed part of Michaux's Ampelopsis, to the genus Cissus. 

 Under that view the generic nomenclature is clear. The genus 

 Ampelopsis (Michaux, p.p. and Torr. and Gray) is to be main- 

 tained on the lines long ago laid down in this country, and now 

 reinforced, for those species which are popularly well-known un- 

 der this name. We do not feel obliged to defer to any work of 

 Rafinesque as late as the year 1830. Bat, as to the present point, 

 it seems to us that when Dr. Planchon followed him in the appro- 

 priation of one part of Michaux's Ampelopsis, he should also have 

 adopted Rafinesque's name for the other part, viz: Qicinaria, in- 

 stead of making a new name, Partheno cissus, the former name 

 being free for use. Under our view both names are superfluous. 

 As to true Vitis, it remains to be seen whether it will be at all 

 possible to distinguish twenty or more North American species. 

 Perhaps Engelmann allowed quite as many as can be defined. 

 But Planchon's long and conscientious labors upon the genus and 

 the family must be most helpful even where his conclusions are 

 not at once accepted. a. g. 



2. Report on Botanical Work in Minnesota for the year 1886 

 occupies Bulletin No. 3 of the Geological and Natural History 

 Survey of that state. There are, first, papers by Professor L. H. 

 Bailey, sketches of the flora of Vermillion Lake and other northern 

 parts of Minnesota, with lists of plants collected. Monotony and 

 paucity of species characterize the flora between Lake Superior 

 and the international boundary ; and this is taken " as an illus- 

 tration of the law that species decrease with the increase of 

 latitude," as if there were no other sufficient explanations of the 

 floral poverty of that tract. Mr. Upham adds a supplement to 

 his list of the flora of Minnesota, adding about two dozen species. 

 The first is the Anemone nudicaulis Gray, in Bot. Gazette, 

 reprinting the article, but with no further information. We had 

 hoped that the station would ere this have been revisited, a. g. 



3. The Course of Practical Instruction in Botany, by Pro- 

 fessor Bower and Professor Vines, of which the first part was 

 published in 1885, is now completed on the same lines by the 

 issue of a second part for the Bryophyta and Thallophyta. This 

 part is the work of Dr. Bower, and, of course, it is an excellent 

 manual for the botanical laboratory. It is published by Mac- 

 millan & Co., London and New York, pp. 144, 18mo. a. g. 



4. Grasses of North America for Farmers and Students, etc., 

 W. J. Beal, Professor of Botany and Forestry in Michigan 

 Agricultural College. An octavo volume replete with informa- 

 tion, not only about grasses but clovers and such-like forage 

 plants, and many other matters, scientific and practical. It 



