NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



377 



The presence of unsaturated acids enables the seed to germinate 

 more rapidly. With flax and colza, the testa develop first and then 

 the cotyledons. Pentosane is found in those parts of the seed which 

 are protective in function. It has no value or nutrition. — G. F. S. E. 



Olearia Chathamica (Bot. Mag. t. 8420). — Chatham Island. 

 Family Compositae ; tribe Asteroideae. Shrub, 3-7 feet high. Leaves 

 oblanceolate, 2^-5 inches long; heads 2-2J inches wide; ray-florets pale 

 violet-purple, disk-florets violet-purple. — G. H. 



Ononis rotundifolia. By F. Eeutersheim (G art €71 flora, vol. Ixi., 

 pt. v., p. 124). — Ononis rotundifolia is more beautiful than 0. fruticosa. 

 It is a shrub about 20 inches in height, covered with purple flowers for 

 several weeks in July. — S. E. W. 



Orchid Cultivation. By A. Heydt (Orchis, vol. vi., pt. iii., 

 pp. 54-56). — An important point in the cultivation of orchids is to 

 move plants after flowering into a house at a lower temperature (10° F.) 

 for four or six weeks. — S. E. W , 



Orchid Culture on Fern Stems. By C. Bonstedt (Orchis, 



vol. vi., pt. i., pp. 11-15, 5 plates). — Pleurothallis , Stelis, Octomeria, 

 Masdevallia, Restrepia, and other epiphytic orchids with small pseudo- 

 bulbs are best grown on blocks cut from the stem of Dichsonia imported 

 from Brazil. The orchids are fastened to the blocks with lead-wire, 

 which is removed when the plant adheres. The orchids are frequently 

 sprayed with rain-water, containing equal quantities of ammonium 

 phosphate and saltpetre (1 in 3,000). During the period of growth 

 the plants are dipped in a weak decoction of cowdung. In small 

 houses the atmospheric moisture is maintained by means of trays of 

 water in which blocks of porous sandstone stand. When the sand- 

 stone is covered with algae it is dipped in a solution of copper sulphate 

 and dried in the sun. It may then be replaced in the trays. — S. E. W . 



Orchids. By E. Schlechter (Orchis, vol. vi. pt. iv. pp. 63-69; 

 2 plates). — Stelis dolichopus is an epipliyte with a short rhizome. It 

 has a short panicle crowded with a double row of small, yellow flowers. 

 It is probably a native of Columbia. 



S. Hennisiana, a native of Columbia, bears a large number of dark 

 purple flowers. It requires a fibrous compost rich in Polypodium. 

 Bendrohium Wolterianum from New Guinea resembles D. capitidi- 

 liorum Eolfe in form, but is distinguished from it by the rose-red 

 colour of its flowers. 



Bulhophyllum chlorostachys, an epiphyte from Siam, resembles 

 B. morphologorum in growth, but the flowers resemble those of 

 B. Carrey anum, though they are larger. 



Armodorum siamense is distinguished by its brown flowers; the 

 petals and sepals have white cross bands. 



Saccolabium- Fuerstenhergianum, an epiphyte from Siam, closely 

 resembles S. trichromum. The inflorescence consists of long-branched 

 panicles bearing 10 to 20 red flowers, with white columns.— E, W. 



