1148 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Cypripedium x Syrinx (Cogniaux in Diet. Icon. Orch. Cyp. x. 

 t. 55 ; December 1902). — A new hybrid out of C. tonsum by G. x 

 Young ianum, raised by Mr. Reginald Young of Sefton Park, Liverpool, 

 and first flowered in May 1902.— C. C. H. 



Desert Botanical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution. 



(Jour. N, Y. Bot. Gard. vol. iv. Jan. 1903). — The Board of Directors of 

 the Carnegie Institution (U.S.A.) has made an appropriation of 8000 

 dollars for the establishment and maintenance of a desert botanical 

 laboratory for the year 1902-3. This has been established for the pur- 

 pose of making a thorough investigation of the physiological and morpho- 

 logical features of plants under the unusual conditions to be found in 

 desert regions, with particular reference to the relations of the charac- 

 teristic vegetation to water, light, temperature, and other special factors. 

 A resident investigator, to be placed in immediate charge of the labora- 

 tory, will begin a series of researches upon certain more important problems 

 outlined by the Board, and facilities will be provided by the aid of which 

 a few other investigators from any part of the world may carry on work 

 upon any problem connected with desert plants. — J\I. C. C. 



Digitalis, Abnormal Flowers of. By M. H. Focken (Rev. G6n. 

 Bot. t. xiv., 1902, p. 517 ; with 3 figs.). — Cases of monstrous flowers of 

 Digitalis are described in which, as often happens in the case of in- 

 florescences of dorsiventral flowers, the terminal flower assumes a more 

 or less radial type of organisation. In the first example the flower 

 possessed 10 sepals, 10 petals, of which 6 are better developed than the 

 remaining 4. The stamens are 8 in number, 4 being large and 4 small. 

 The ovary retains its normal dimerous character. 



In a second inflorescence, the increase in number in the members of 

 the three outer whorls is even more marked, whilst the gynoecium also 

 contains 6 loculi, of which, however, only 2 are fertile. 



In a third plant the irregularities are even more marked. 



The author regards the abnormal terminal flowers as having arisen 

 by the concrescence of 2, 3, and a number of individual flowers respec- 

 tively.—/. B. F. 



Dimorphism in Buckwheat (U.S.A. Exp. Stn. Ncio Jersey, Rep. 

 1900). — Buckwheat, like the Primrose, produces both long- and short- 

 styled plants. Experiments were carried out to see whether soil had any 

 influence on the form of the flower produced, and whether the parent 

 exercised any control in this respect on the offspring. The result tended 

 to show that the mother exerted some control. — F. J. C. 



Dodders (U.S.A. Exp. Stn. Ncio Jersey, Rep. 1900 ; 2 plates).— An 

 account of the germination of Dodder seed is given, with illustrations of 

 the seeds of several species and of the seedling Dodder plants. — F. J. C. 



Droseras. By F. Rehnelt (Die Gart. pp. 169 and 184, 10/1/1903).— 

 Nine distinct species of these interesting little plants are figured and 

 described. D. pallida, D. lunata, D. prorecta, D. stolonifera, D. rosu- 

 laris, D. erythrorhiza, D. roridula dentata, D. cistiflora var. multiflora, 



