General Notes. [January, 



lution of Thought. By Joseph LeConte. 8vo, pp. 



Chicago, 1 881. From the 



GENERAL NOTES. 



BOTANY. 1 



Mimicry in Fungi. — "Instances of mimicry are not rare 

 amongst fungi. They are more frequently attractive than protec- 

 tive mimicries. They may be of vegetable, of animal, or of ex- 

 crementitious substances, either as regards external appearance, or 

 as regards odor. The main object of these mimicries is the attrac- 

 tion of insects, the advantages of which to plants are: (i), either 

 fertilization of hymenomycetous spores by co-specific spermatia 

 from other individuals, or by the transportation of spores from the 

 hymenium of one fungus to that of another, or perhaps increased 

 germinative energy to the spores is obtained by the admixture of 

 other co-specific spores without the element of sexuality; (2), the 

 diffusion of the fungus spores by insects as well as by the larger 

 an i mals." — Grevillea. 



Simblum rubescens Gerard, in Iowa. — Two years ago W. R. 

 Gerard described and figured a new species of fungus in the 

 Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. It was discovered on Long 

 Island, and was found to be a species of Simblum, a genus of the 

 Phalloidei, the Stink-horn family. No species of Simblum had 

 previously been known to exist outside of the tropics, 5. peri- 

 phragmoides occurring in the Mauritius islands, S. gracile in 

 Ceylon, S.flavescens in Java, S. pilidiatum and 5. sphcerocephalum 

 in South America. Such being the distribution of the known 

 species, it must be regarded as remarkable that one should be 

 found in North America, and Mr. Gerard was justified in ques- 

 tioning whether his specimens might not have grown from spores 

 or mycelium brought in ballast from the tropics, especially as we 

 understand they were found at no great distance from " ballast 

 dumpings." 



This question is settled, however, by its discovery in Central 

 Iowa in October of the past year. A dozen or more plants were 

 found in a field by C. L. Spencer, a student in the Agricultural 

 College. Good specimens were secured and placed in alcohol for 

 study in the laboratory. In only one particular do the Iowa speci- 

 mens disagree with the description given by Mr. Gerard. To our 

 plant Schlechtendal's remark as to the odor of an allied species 

 does apply very forcibly, for it certainly does " stink furchterlich." 



1 Edited by Prof. C. E. Bessey, Ames, Iowa. 



