i88 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. II, No. 3 , 
BOTANICAL CORRESPONDENCE AND NOTES 
FOR AMATEURS, II. 
Conducted by W. A. Keuerman. 
Item 5. In a paper read before the Society for Plant Mor- 
phology, an outline of which was published in Science, 13 : 250, 
M. A. Carleton stated that the peculiar, thick-walled, one-eelled 
spores of Pucciuia vexans Farlow, after repeated failures, had 
been germinated. They are, however, not properl}’ uredo spores 
nor teleuto spores, according to Mr. Carleton, but “partake of 
the nature of both. They make a distinct new spore for this 
order of fungi, and may be called amphispore." 
Item 6 . Arthur and Holway, in their descriptions of American 
Uredineee, III, have very commendably extended and varied the 
use of signs for designating the spore stages of the Uredineae. 
As is well known, the Roman numerals I, II and III have long 
been used to designate respectively the secidium, the uredo, and 
the teleutosporic stage (usually called black rust, Pucciuia, 
Uromyces, etc.). To this series has beeu added O for the sper- 
magonia. In the article alluded to still another sign is intro- 
duced, namely, X for the amphispores. The authors indicate 
relative abundance of spores in their Exsiccata by the use of 
both capitals and lower case letters — the former for maximum 
and the latter for minimum qualities. Thus, for example, i, ii, 
III, would indicate small proportion of secidium and uredo, but 
a maximum amount of the teleutospores ; iii, X, would denote a 
minor quantity of teleutospores and a major amount of amphi- 
spores. 
Item 7. A Manual of Botany has just been published which 
should be in the hands of every teacher of this subject, aud 
every botanical student, pupil and amateur should also possess a 
copy. It is up to date in every respect, contains all the flow r ering 
plants and vascular cryptogams of our region, gives keys to the 
orders, keys to the genera and keys to the species. The well- 
known author, Dr. N. L. Britton, has described every clearly 
recognized and distinct form as a species ; he has also enumerated 
many varieties, these usually with quite ample diagnoses. The 
book is indispensable to the student of American botany, and no 
one interested in our flora can afford to be without it. 
Too much praise cannot be accorded the publishers. The 
paper is thin but good ; the binding is durable yet light ; the 
names stand out black and bold ; the type for descriptions is 
clear ; the covers not awkwardly stiff ; the number of pages 
1,080, and yet the book is only an inch and three-eighths thick ; 
even more remarkable for a book of this character and quality, 
the price is only two dollars and twenty-five cents. 
