898 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



produced by S. Commersonii and those derived from the so-called S. 

 tuberosum there was not the slightest difference. The chain is thus 

 manifested under our eyes between the type of S. Commersonii and its 

 varieties, which are confounded with those of the Potato cultivated for 

 four centuries. It is considered that the wild Morell of Commerson was 

 the origin of the Virginian Potato, which was the first introduced into 

 England. In conclusion, it is considered certain that 8. Commersonii, if 

 not the actual origin, has played an important part in the origin of the 

 common cultivated Potato. The violet variety of S. Commersonii, on 

 account of its extremely prolific nature and its predilection for wet soils, 

 promises to be a boon, and will enable profit to be made out of wet land 

 at present useless. — G. M. 



Solanum glaucophyllum. By W. B. H. (Bot. May. t. 7945).— 

 Native of Southern Brazil and Uruguay. Nat. ord. Solanacece; tribe 

 Solanece. A glabrous shrub, with rather thick leaves. Flowers rose- 

 purple ; fruit oblong-ovoid, f inch long, purple- violet. — G. H. 



Sonchus arboreus laciniatus. By Max Garnier (Rev. Hort. 

 pp. 144-145, March 1G, 1904 ; 1 woodcut). — A very elegant plant, about 

 3 feet high ; good habit. Native of Canaries, and therefore requires 

 winter protection. — C. T. D. 



Sorghum : Green Sorghum Poisoning' (Jour. Imp. Dep. Agr. 

 W.I. vol. iii. No. 4, pp. 320-333).— Wherever Sorghum has been grown 

 for fodder an idea has been prevalent that the plant is, under certain 

 circumstances, injurious to stock. It was observed that the young plant, 

 when crushed and moistened with cold water, soon acquired a strong odour 

 of hydrocyanic acid. Without entering into the details, it was found that 

 Sbrghum vulgare contains a glucoside which, under the influence of some 

 hydrolytic agent simultaneously present, undergoes hydrolysis, furnishing 

 as one product hydrocyanic acid, to which the observed toxicity of the young 

 plants must be ascribed. — M. C. C. 



Sparmannia africana, On the Movements of the Flowers of, 

 and their Demonstration by means of the Kinematograph. By 



Mrs. Bina Scott (Ann. Bot. vol. xvii. No. 68, p. 761 ; with plates 37 39). — 

 This is a common greenhouse plant, and the sensitiveness of its stamens 

 and staminodes is well known. When the flower opens they are more or 

 less erect and close together, but on being touched immediately spread 

 to hemispherical outline. " Sparmannia africana is an exceptionally 

 favourable plant on which to study reaction to stimulus, as so many of its 

 parts are sensitive. The most strikingly sensitive organs are the stamens: 

 these are arranged in four groups, having an outer circle of staminodes. 

 Both stamens and staminodes are provided with curious tooth-like out- 

 growths, few in number on the stamens, but becoming more and more 

 numerous and conspicuous as the outer staminodes are reached. All of 

 these are sensitive to touch ; if only one stamen be touched, the stimulus 

 spreads until all the stamens and staminodes have moved outwards away 

 from tin* stigma. . . . Then the petals and sepals respond to the stimulus 



