NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



247 



the natives of the harbour of Jask make small flat-bottomed boats entirely 

 of the midribs of leaves of the Date Palm, about 10 ft. in length. — G. H. 



Davallia bullata, Wall. By A. v. d. H. (Bev. Hort. Beige, xxviii. 

 No. 10, p. 228 ; col. pi.). — It was introduced by Wallich to Kew from 

 Nepal in 1852. — G. H. 



De Laet, Frantz. By M. Hesdorffer (Die Gart. p. 309, March 28, 

 1903). — An interesting account of how Mons. de Laet, who is a great 

 authority on and one of the most successful growers of Cactece, became 

 a Cactus specialist. About twenty years ago, in passing the flower market 

 of Antwerp, he saw a florist who was offering, among other Cacti, 

 M immillcorict bociisam, and having never seen such a Cactus before he 

 bought a large specimen and five smaller ones. Not being the possessor 

 of a greenhouse, they were placed in his office, and in this way he began 

 the formation of his now unique collection. The office and balcony 

 becoming in time too small for the ever-growing collection, he transferred 

 them to Contich, near Antwerp, and at present his Cacti are grown in six 

 large greenhouses and 200 metres of frames, which now contain everything 

 worth growing in the Cactus line. — G. B. 



Dendrobiums, A Group of Hybrid (Orch. Bev. p. 112, fig. 22 ; 

 April 1903). — Photographic illustrations and descriptions and records of 

 D. x Ellisiivax.Wiganianum, D. x ' Sibyl,' D. x Chloro stele v&r. Oweni- 

 anum, D. x Wiganice, and D. x melanodiszus var. pallens are included. 



H. J. C. 



Dendrobium spathaceum. By R. A. Rolfe (Orch. Bev. p. 176 ; 

 Jim 1903). — Description and historical particulars of this interesting 

 botanical species. — H. J. C. 



Dendrobium Williamsoni and D. cariniferum. By R. A. Rolfe 

 (Orch. Bev. p. 142; May 1903). — Interesting particulars of description 

 and habitat are given, also historical notes. — H. J. C. 



Deutzia COrymbifera. By Fred. Burvenich pere (Bev. Hort. 

 Beige, xxviii. No. 7, p. 157 ; col. pi.). — This plant bears rosy-white flowers 

 and was introduced to commerce from North China in 1897. — G. H. 



Deyeuxia. By Ch. Pynaert (Bev. Hort. Beige, xxviii. No. 5, p. 97, 

 with coloured plate). — The author describes D. elegans variegata, the 

 leaves of which have golden-coloured margins. — G. H. 



Diatomacese, On Colourless Pyrenoids and Coloured Elaeo- 

 plasts in. By C. Meraschowsky (Flora, vol. xcii. 1903, pp. 77-83 ; 4 

 cuts). — The pyrenoids are usually immersed in the chromoplast and are 

 consequently coloured, the elasoplasts free and colourless. But in some 

 cases the pyrenoid is wholly or partially free from the chromoplast and 

 colourless, and again the ela?oplasts may be immersed and coloured, or 

 even themselves have a coloured plasmic envelope to the central oil 

 globule. Elasoplasts may be classified as (a) ' Sparsioplasts,' inconstant 

 in size and number : (b) 1 Stabiloplasts,' constant ; and the latter again 



