NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



783 



Cypripedium * Gaston Bultel.' By 0. Opoix (Bev. Hort. pp. 160- 

 161, April 1, 1904 ; coloured plate). — This is a very handsome form 

 obtained by crossing C. ' Madame Coffinet ' x C. Fairieanum. Dorsal 

 sepal very broad, mauve ground, merging into pale yellow in centre and 

 with many deep rosy pinnatiform stripes radiating from base to near the 

 edges. Petals similarly striped and tinted, but yellowish towards apices. 

 Labellum rose in front, merging into green below, and internally yellow. 

 Stalks deep mauve-red. Prefers higher temperature than G. Fairieanum. 



G. T. D. 



Dahlias "a COllerette." By R. Gerard {Bev. Hort. pp. 63-66, 

 Feb. 1, 1901 ; coloured plate). — Describes numerous forms in which the 

 flower consists of the ordinary single Dahlia petals and centre, with an 

 intermediate row of white, yellow, or otherwise pale-tinted florets, strongly 

 contrasting with the richer and deeper colours of the outer petals, giving 

 a very charming result. The coloured print illustrates four varieties : 

 1 President Viger ' (deep crimson petals and white or pinkish collerette), 

 1 Maurice Rivoire ' (deep rosy petals, somewhat incurved, and yellowish- 

 white collerette), ' Madame La Page- Viger ' (somewhat deeper red than 

 last and flatter petals, with primrose collerette), and ' M. Massange de 

 Louvrex ' (bright yellow ground striped deep orange, with white col- 

 lerette). The collerette is an interesting feature, but requires development 

 as yet. A number of others are described. — C. T. D. 



Dahlia, Centenary of the. Anon. (Gard. Chron. No. 909, 

 p. 344, May 28, 1904). — Just 100 years ago Dahlia seeds were received 

 for the first time in London, and plants were raised and flowered the same 

 year. The subsequent history of this plant is given in this article. The 

 first double variety was raised in 1805, only a year after its introduction ; 

 so that it appears that it was a plant which soon lent itself to the 

 ingenuity of the florist.— G. S. S. 



DactylOStalix ringrens. By R. A. Rolfe (Orch, Bev. vol. xii. p. 323). 

 History and references to this Japanese species are here given. 



H. J. C. 



Daldinia concentrica, Conidia of. By Marin Molliard (Bull. Soc. 

 Myc. France, xx. fasc. 2, 1904, pi. vi., fig. 5). — After alluding to the fact 

 that these conidia were figured and described by Tulasne (Selecta fung. 

 carp. t. ii. pi. xiii. figs. 14-16), without a name, this author proceeds to 

 describe them, as found by himself, and calls the mould which bears 

 them Nodulisporium Tnlasnei. These conidia are ovoid (7-8x4^-5/*), 

 colourless or slightly grey, and borne on hyphae, after the manner of 

 species of Botrytis. As Daldinia has latterly been declared to be a 

 wound parasite of forest trees, the knowledge of its conidia obtains a fresh 

 importance. — M. G. G. 



Date Palm, Culture of (Jour. Imp. Dep. Agr. W.I. vol. v., pt. 2, 

 1904, pp. 139-149). — After a brief account of the culture of the Date Palm, 

 its climatic requirements, planting and cultivation, irrigation, pollination, 

 yield, &c, this communication proceeds to " Date Culture in the United 

 States," and afterwards to " Date Culture in the West Indies," especially 



