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THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 



wrote an account of this to the late Thomas Meehan and 

 he seemed to be much interested in my notes on the dis- 

 covery I had made. I have not for many years had time 

 in the blooming season to look up the matter to see if 

 those varying forms are still there but have no doubt 

 some could yet be found. 

 Switzerland, Florida. 



Wanted. — Short notes of interest to the general bot- 

 anist are always in demand for this department. Our 

 readers are invited to make this the place of publication 

 for their botanical items. 



Chaptalia tomentosa.— Tize Florida Agriculturist 

 mentions this plant as one of the early flowers to be found 

 in the "flat woods" of' that part of the world. It is one 

 of the composites with white daisy-like flowers that have 

 the peculiar habit — ^for composites — of nodding until ready 

 to open. The ripened seed produce a globular head resem- 

 bling that of the dandelion. It is suggested that this 

 would be a good species for cultivating elsewhere. 



Fruit of Red Baneberry Poisonous.— The European 

 baneberry {Actasa spicata) is reputed to be poisonous but 

 few experiments have yet been made with the two forms 

 which grow in America. In Rhodora for March, Alice E. 

 Bacon notes that the red baneberry {Actsea spicata rubra) y 

 a common plant of the northern states, contains a power- 

 ful poison, a dozen of the berries being probably enough 

 for a fatal dose. Six berries at one dose caused an intense 

 burning at the stomach, greatly increased pulse, dizziness, 

 inability to talk coherently, and a visual disturbance that 

 caused a seeming display of blue objects of all sizes and 

 tints. There were also sharp pains in various parts of 

 the body. The berries have a very unpleasant taste and 

 are therefore not likely to be eaten, but it is well to re- 

 member their dangerous character. 



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