NOTES AND ABSTKACTS. 



787 



detailed account of the many abnormal forms noticed in two plants of 

 this species. Petals occasionally free, flowers actinomorphic, many 

 transitional states between stamens and petals or between other parts of 

 the flower. Variations in the number of petals &c. from 8 to 8. The 

 more the branch bearing irregular flowers is branched, the greater seems 

 their deviation from the type. — G. F. S.-F. 



Dipodium pictum. By W. B. H. (Bot. Mag. t. 7951).— Native of 

 Malaya. Nat. ord. Orchidea ; tribe Vandece. This Orchid is remarkable 

 for the leaf disarticulating 3 inches above the insertion. The name is 

 taken from the two -stalked pollinia. It is a perennial herb with a weak 

 stem, about 7 feet long. Racemes form a loose panicle. Flowers are 

 blotched on the outside with crimson on a pale yellow ground, 2 inches 

 diam. Blotches faintly visible above. — G. H. 



Dipsacese, The Floral Biology of. By A. Giinthardt (Flora, 

 xciii. 1904, pp. 199-250; 30 cuts [tables]. — The flowers are pro- 

 terandrous in most species, homogamous in some (e.g. Scabiosa atro- 

 puryurea (' Snowball '), proterogynous in Knautia sylvatica). The 

 primitive centripetal order of opening is rare, since this is affected by 

 relations of light and space in the crowded heads. Usually after the 

 marginal flowers have opened anthesis begins anew and in an intermediate 

 zone, and spreads upwards or downwards. Some species possess long 

 prominent bristles on the sepals, or receptacular palese. The latter arrange- 

 ment seems unpleasant to insects, which pay short repeated visits to such 

 heads, while they crawl all over the heads which lack this armour, 

 ransacking all the flowers open before quitting them. Gynodioecy occurs 

 in Knautia arvensis and sylvatica and Scabiosa Succisa, the purely female 

 heads being smaller and of different colour. — M. H. 



Diseases of Fruit Trees in Iowa. By G. M. Lummis (U.S.A. 

 Hort. Soc, Iowa, Bep. 1902, pp. 30-34). — The speaker deprecated care- 

 less pruning and the leaving of hollow, worthless trees in woodlands. 

 The disease on Catalpas caused by Polyporus versicolor was the one 

 chiefly dealt with. In the discussion which followed the evil effects of 

 malnutrition in laying a tree open to disease were pointed out. — F. J. C. 



Diseases Of Plants. By N. A. Cobb (Agr. Gaz. N.S.W. pp. 1-19, 

 Jan. 1904). — A lengthy article, which is beautifully illustrated with 

 coloured and other plates. The diseases interesting to horticulturists 

 are : 



The Brown Rot of Fruit, caused by the fungus Monilia fructigena — a 

 rot most prevalent under moist conditions, and confined to no particular 

 kind of fruit, though it does most damage on Cherries, Peaches, and 

 Plums. It will attack a great variety of ripe and ripening fruit, and will 

 even attack tender foliage under encouraging conditions. It causes 

 enormous losses, which have been estimated at from £50,000 to 1100,000 

 in a single fruit-raising district. Descriptions of the disease and remedies 

 are given. 



A Cherry Blight New to the State. — The Cherries are attacked at 

 blossoming time, and the effects become visible at that time or soon after. 



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