BOTANY. 359 è 
Seeds few to many, distinctly margined all around; with the 
inner covering longitudinally punctate as seen through the gelat- 
inous coating. 
Twin Lakes and Mosquito Pass, Colorado Territory. Among 
rocks, at an altitude of ten to eleven thousand feet. 
It will be seen that this plant approaches both R. glutin- 
osum Benth., and R. sanguineum Pursh. It is distinguished 
from the former by being fewer flowered, having shorter ra- 
cemes and a rounder berry ; from the latter by its shorter racemes, 
relatively shorter bracts and longer pedicels, and erect calyx 
lobes 
Its nearest affinity is (as suggested also by Mr. Watson) 
R. sanguineum Pursh., of which it may be but a variety. I think 
it sufliciently distinct, however, to bear the name of its zealous 
discoverer, Prof. John Wolf. — J.T. ROTHROCK. 
Prertoprc Morrons or Leaves anp Prrats.— These phenomena, 
on which much has been written both in England and Germany, 
have been the subject of a fresh series of observations by the 
German botanist Batalin. He divides the different instances of 
motion into three groups: 
(1.). Rapid automatic motions caused by a special motile organ, 
the pulvinus, at the base of the leaf-stalk. (2.) Diurnal motions 
not so rapid but also resulting from a special motile organ. (3.) 
Diurnal motions belonging to the whole of the leaf-stalk and par- 
tially also to the surface of the leaf, but not connected with the 
presence of a pulvinus. The third of these classes, to which 
long the motions of petals which cause the opening and closing 
of flowers were the special subject of Batalin’s observations. | 
The ordinary explanation of the phenomenon has been the different 
degree of tension in the two sides of the leaf caused by a differ- 
ence in the amount of water contained in them, which explanation 
has however already been shown by Pfeffer not to meet all cases. 
Batalin agrees with Pfeffer’s conclusions and he considers the 
_ Main cause of the motion to be unequal growth of the two sides 
Caused by alternating differences in the light, temperature and 
` turgescence. He believes that the same cause is also one of those 
Most efficient in the other classes of periodic motions connected 
with special motile organs.— A. W. B. 
