ABSTRACTS. 



727 



Astilbe chinensis vax. Davidii (Garden, p. 17!); 1 8 9/ 1 902). — A 

 note and illustration ab:mt this beautiful new Astilbe, which is fully 

 G feet high, with tall pyramidal spikes of rose-purple flowers, it is one 

 of the most handsome perennials introduced of recent years, and is one of 

 Mr. Wilson's finds in China. It was introduced by Messrs. J. Veitch & 

 Sons.— E. T. C. 



Astilbe, The Genus. By A. Henry (Qard. CTvron, No. 815, p. 95, 

 fig. 34, Aug. 9 ; p. 151, Aug. ?>0 ; p. 171, Sept. 6, 1902).— The first part of 

 a paper on this genus deals with only one species, Astilbe chinensis and its 

 varieties, of which the most notable is Davidii, which is quite new in 

 cultivation, having recently been sent home by one of Messrs. Veitch 's 

 collectors from Central China, and attracted much attention when 

 exhibited at the Royal Horticultural Society's meeting at the Drill Hall 

 on August >). It is a perfectly hardy plant in this country, and attains 

 the height of 0 feet. It bears a panicle of flowers 2 feet in length, of a 

 beautiful violet-purple colour ; the petals are bluish violet, the calyx pink. 

 The stamens are violet, and the anthers blue. 



In the second part of the article on this genus the affinities and nature 

 of this genus are given, and the ten species which it contains described. 

 A list is given of synonyms and various species which, according to the 

 author, have wrongly been included in this genus. The third and con 

 eluding part of this paper describes another species (the eleventh) recently 

 discovered in Japan. — G. S. S. 



Astragaleae, Three new. Bj I-;. [Jlbrich (Not Ronig. Bot. Berl 

 vol. hi. (1002), p. 102). - 1 'lbrieh describes three new species of Aslrayalece, 

 viz. A. ery thro s tacky s, Ulbr., from Mexico ; Oxy tropin leucocephala, Ulbr., 

 from Central Asia ; and O. Holdcreri, Ulbr., from N.E. Thibet, 



//. M. W. 



Bamboos, Hardy. By \\ . -J. Bean (Garden, No. 1,000, p. 44; 

 19/7/1902). — A valuable article, giving the names of the most beautiful 

 and hardy Bamboos, with instructions as to soil, position, &c. — E. T. (J. 



Banana Anthracnose. " Sur le Mode de Developpement 'In Cham 

 pignon du ' Noir des Bananes.' " Par M. le Dr. G. Delacroix (Bull. Soc. 

 Myc. Ft. xviii. p. 285 ; 1902 ; with fig.). — A detailed description of the 

 development of the conidia of (Jlceosj)orium musarum (Cooke and Massee) 

 on fruits of Banana in France and Algeria. The conidia are considered 

 to vary very much in their dimensions according to their maturity 

 between 10-12 x 4 n (Cooke), 1G-18 x 4 // (Stoneman), and 21 28 / 8 /t 

 (Delacroix). On germination there is the appearance of a central septum 

 and the production of a germinating filament, at the extremity of which 

 one or more polyhedric chlamydospores are developed, with a thick and 

 slightly coloured membrane, 1 -11 n diam. (fig. on p. 286). — M. C. C. 



Banana, Disease of. By Dr. Axel Preyer, including a report by 

 Dr. Looss and G. P. Foaden (Bull. Bot. Dep. Jam. ix., pt. 7, p. 100) 

 The disease is due to the presence of nematodes (TylencJms) and occurs 

 near Alexandria, where no results have followed experiments. Gas-limo 



