272 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Conifers of China. By M. T. Masters {Jour. Linn. Soc. vol. xxxviii. 

 p. 410). — The author writes : " In the present communication I have 

 endeavoured to do for China what I have previously attempted in the 

 case of Japan." Since a list compiled by Dr. Masters and published 

 in 1902 was published " Dr. Henry and Mr. E. H. Wilson have enriched 

 our collections with numerous examples." Mr. Wilson made two journeys 

 in Central and Western China, and the present list enumerates the species 

 he met with, and in it are given descriptions of those which have hitherto 

 been undescribed. The Catalogue is now as complete as circumstances 

 permit. " Some of the trees are closely allied to or identical with 

 Eastern Himalayan forms, while others present similar relationships to 

 Japanese species." The list of the genera and species is then given. 



G. S. S. 



Conifers : their Distribution in the Several Districts of 

 China. By M. T. Masters (Jour. Linn. Soc. Bot. vol. xxxviii. No. 265, 

 p. 198).— The recent researches in China by various travellers "provide 

 matter for the consideration of the botanical geographer, and with a view 

 of facilitating his task I now venture to lay before the Society some 

 details relating to the distribution of the Coniferae and Taxaceae of the 

 various provinces of China and in neighbouring countries." Two tables 

 are given : Table I. shows the distribution of the genera of conifers in 

 China and Japan ; Table II. contains a list of all the species of conifers 

 known to be natives of China, and shows their distribution in the various 

 districts of the empire as well as in neighbouring countries. Remarks 

 are made on all the different genera. — G. S. S. 



Datura (Brugmansia) chlorantha. By R. Farry-Desloges 

 I Ei / . Hurt. July 1, 1908, pp. 302-3 ; coloured plate). — A very beautiful 

 single form of the long known double variety of this species. Large 

 trumpet-shaped Mowers of a bright yellow tint, with long pointed pro- 

 jections from the lips. — C. T. D. 



Didymoearpus cyanea. By T. A. Sprague (Bot. Mag. tab. 8204).— 



Nat. ord. Gesneraccae, tribe Cyrtandreae. Malay Peninsula. Herb 

 stemless ; leaves 3-G inches long ; corolla deep blue, H inch long. — G. H. 



M Die Back " of Peach Shoots. By G. Massee (Kew Bull. 7, 1908, 

 p. 209 271 ; 1 plate). — A disease of peach shoots called "die back," due 

 to the attack of the fungus Naemospora crocea Sacc, is described. The 

 leaf buds of the affected shoots expand normally, but when the blossom is 

 fully open the young leaves wilt, turn brown and die within a few days, 

 Lin petal cli;iN''i i o ;t rusi\ brown colour, and the ilowers droop, but like 

 the leaves remain attached to the shoot for some time. In May and 

 June of the following year the fungus fruits are produced and the shoots 

 are seen to be thickly studded with the minute, tendril-like, dull orange 

 coloured masses of spores. The tendrils are rigid and horny in dry 

 weather, soft and mucilaginous in wet, and it is thought that birds are 

 the most frequent agents in distributing the spores. The spores do not 

 y< I 1 in their power of germination above three months. — F. J. C. 



