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THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. XLI 



Of recent papers on the Gnetaceae, the present paper by Pearson 

 on AYohxitschia (Some Observations on Wel^^itschia inirabiHs, Hooker 

 II. II. W. Pearson, M. A., F. L. S. Phil. Trans. Royal Soc. London, 

 Series B. Vol. 198, pp. 26^304. Plates 18-22. 190G.) is easily first 

 in point of importance. 



One of the most remarkable of known })lants is IV. wimhiUs, which 

 is an inhabitant of the desert strip along the coast of Portuguese and 

 German West Africa. In January, 1904, Professor II. H. W. Pearson 

 of the South African College in Cape Town made a visit to Walfisch 

 Bay for the purjwse of studying and collecting Welwitschia and the 

 present memoir is a record of his ol)servations. Owning to a native 

 uprising his visit waj^ cut short, and the amount of material collected 

 was limited, but nevertheless a number of important facts were estab- 

 lished, which add materially to our knowledge of this extraordinary 



The region where it grows is an almost absolutely rainless desert, 

 and excepting at very long intervals the only source of water is the 

 heavy sea fog, whose condensed moisture is suflicient to sustain life 

 in a few plants. It appears, however. th;ii in some seasons, often a 

 good many years apart, he:iv\ i;iiiis ik c iir .iikI the country may be 

 inundated. Pearson concludes iluii ii i> (hiring these rare periods 

 of hea^v rain that the nu.istuir .nlh. u nf u, o<T,ninnte the see<l. of 

 WeKvitschiii, iihhongh these .-.n- i>n,.ln<-..l IVecIv .";.ch s.Msnri. Tlie 



The anther develops three loculi.- In addition to the true tapetal 



