1835, ] Botany. ` 997 
clusters, and in both cases the flowers, fruits and seeds appear to 
be well developed. 
“On the appearance of the relation of ovary and perianth in 
the development of dicotyledons,” by John M. Coulter. An ex- 
amination of many species of dicotyledons (belonging to the. 
orders Ranunculacee, Leguminosz, Rosacez, Saxifragacez, 
Onagracez, Rubiacez, Umbellifere, Composite, Borraginacee, - 
Scrophulariacez and Labiatæ) shows that in every case the first 
character recognized in the development of the flower is that of 
inferior or superior ovary, and that a most simple grouping of 
the orders upon that basis is possible. Grouping the dicotyle- 
dons upon this basis results somewhat as follows: The ompos- 
itæ take place at the head of the list, then near them come the 
Umbelliferze, Rubiacez, etc., etc. The intermediate orders which 
have inferior and superior ovaries, as the Rosaceæ and Saxifra- 
gaceze, would occupy a proper intermediate, position, and finally 
those with superior ovary or ovaries only, as the Scrophulariace, 
Labiate, Leguminose, etc., would be arrayed in a descending 
series. 
“ The development of the prothallium in ferns,” by Douglass 
H. Campbell. The paper gave the details of many observations 
upon the development of the prothallia of ferns, accompanied by 
figures of the various stages. 
“ Notes upon some injurious Fungi of California,” by William 
G. Farlow. The author observed Peronospora hyoscyami D.By. 
_ growing abundantly upon Nicotiana glauca, a shrubby plant, 
native of Buenos Ayres, which is now common in Northern 
Mexico and Southern California. As the shrub is a near relative 
of the cultivated tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum, there is danger that 
the parasite may be transferred from the { »rmer to the latter. 
The hollyhocks of California are affec.ed by a rust (Puccinia of 
some species) which was at first supposed to be identical with the 
hollyhock disease of Europe (Puccin a matvacearum). It is, how- 
ever, entirely distinct, being the sam e species as that which occurs 
upon species of Malvastrum in some of the Western States. 
There is danger that this may become transferred to the cotton 
lant. 
“A new chromogenous Bacillus,” by D. E. Salmon and 
Thomas Smith. A Bacillus, named B. /uteus suis, was found in 
the pericardial effusion of hogs affected with swine plague. 
Tue BoranicaL CLUB oF THE A. A. A. S.—About seventy 
members of the association registered themselves as botanists at 
the Ann Arbor meeting. Every member of the club wore a yel- 
low ribbon in addition to the regular association badge. Six 
sions of the club were held in the university buildings, one of 
them occurring in the botanical laboratory. : 
During the first session a committee was appointed to take 
