208 



Herbarium. 



In connection with Herbarium work, several planters, after reading 

 articles in the Bulletin, such as " Leguminous plants for green man- 

 uring,*" and "Soil inoculation, f" have sent to the Herbarium specimens 

 of nativt- leguminous plants, with enquiries as to their names and 

 their power of adding nitrogen to the soil. There is no doubt that 

 many of our native plants are useful in this way, but probably 

 the expense of collecting seed for sowing would be as great as that of 

 importing cow-peas or velvet beans. It would be well to bear in mind 

 thar leguminous weeds are not pests in the same sense as others, to be 

 rooted up for robbing cultivated plants of their food, for they actually 

 contribute valuable nitrogen. 



Many persons, still under the impression that the olive bears fruit 

 in the island have sent up specimens as proofs. These turned out to be 

 various plants, but not the true olive. A short article was inserted in 

 the Bulletin, pointing out the differences. 



Mr. G. S. Jenman, Superintendent of the Botanic Garden of British 

 Guiana has completed his account of the ferns of Jamaica. The series 

 of articles began in Bulletin 18, August 1890. They are most valuable 

 to students of Jamaica ferns, both in the island and abroad ; thpir publi- 

 cation in the Bulletin has induced collectors to visit Jamaica both from 

 Great Britain and America. Several new species have been discovered 

 since Mr. Jenman began his work, and he has kindly promised to con- 

 tribute descriptions of these, and to add some further notes. 



Mr. William Harris has been engaged during a considerable por- 

 tion of his time in continuing to collect specimens of native plants. He 

 has just had the honour conferred upon him of being elected a Fellow 

 of the Linnean Society of London. 



Several new species and new varieties have been described from 

 Jamaica plants ; and several that are known elsewhere, have been col- 

 lected here for the first time during the year. The following is a list: — 



New Species and Varieties described from Plants found in Jamaica. 

 Guttiferae — 



Rheedia pendula, Urb. (Symbolae Antillanae, Vol. I.) 

 Malpighiaceae — 



Malpighia glabra, L. var. lancifolia, Ndz. (Ind. lect. in Lyc. reg. 

 Hos. Brunsb., 1899.) 



M. glabra, L., var. antillana, Urb. and Ndz. (1. c.) 



(This was previously referred to M. glabra, L. var. acuminata 

 Juss. See list in Bulletin for 1895, page 217.) 



M. fucata, Ker., var macrophylla (Desf.) Ndz. (1. c.) 



M. martinicensis, Jacq., var. jamaicensis, Urb. & Ndz. (1. c.) 



M. oxycocca, Griseb., var., megaphylla, Ndz. (1. c.) 



M. oxycocca, Griseb., var. Grisebachiana, Ndz. (1. c.) 



M. oxycocca, Griseb. var., biflora (L.) Ndz. (1. c.) 



• Bulletin, July-Sep., 1897. page 153. 

 f Bulletin, Aug,, 1898, page 174. 



