BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 
The Gardener's Monthly, November.—Two handsome California plants are 
described, Trilelia laxa and Brodioea coccinea. Accompanying the description of the! 
latter species is an excellent figure of the flower cluster and- it promises to become one 
of opr handsomest cultivated plants. The articles of this Magazine are so numerous 
and varied that we can not even namejthem, nor select the most prominent, for all are 
interesting. ' ^ 
Field and Forest, November.—The Flora Columbiana has been brought down 
among the Graminem, having stopped in this number with the genus Eatonia. 
- Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club , October.—Ceo. E. Davenport mentions some 
peculiar variations of Aspidium Thelypteris, Swz. W. R. Gerard states that .he fungi 
lihytisma Solidaginis, and. li. Aster is, which occur on the leaves of Solidago and Aster, 
have turned out to be insect galls. 
Home and School, October.—John Williamson describes and figures Trichomanes 
rqdicans, found at Rock-castle Springs, Ky., by Mrs. Yandell. There are five figures,^ 
giving a general view of the plant, and magnified views of the fruit receptacle and 
sporangia. 
A Catalogue of the Forest trees of the United States,' by Geo. Vasey, M. D.—This 
pamphlet is meant to illustrate the “ collection of forest-tree sections on exhibition by 
the Department of Agriculture at the Centennial Exhibition.” Sixteen feet is used as 
tlie point where a shrub becomes a tree. The pamphlet contains 38 pages giving the 
range and a few of the prominent characteristics of 419 frees. The two largest genera 
are the oaks and pines, each of which embrace about 80 species. In getting together , 
thO material for this exhibition, which was an immense labor, requiring great skill and 
patfence, and which reflects so much credit upon the Department and its Botanist, four 
or five species unknown to our flora were obtained. “These are mainly in South 
Florida, and include two exogens, viz., an Anona, or Custard Apple, and a Chrysophyllum, 
or Star Apple; and one endogen, a Palm of the genus Thrinax .” 
Cereus grandijlorus and Cereus Bonplandii, by Richard E. Kunze, M. D.—This 
paper was read by Dr. Kunze before the Eclectic Medical Society of New York State. 
It contains a fine colored plate of each species and gives their history, description and 
therapeutical application. 
Variations inthe Size of Asters. Although prevented by the nature of my work 
from a full study of the flora of Northern Indiana, yet in my walks along the Wabash 
and Eel or along one of our railways I can not help being struck with the rich reward 
a careful study of our fall Composite would yield to the zealous student. On every 
side Ve see the golden Solidago, bending'its graceful head in conscious knowledge of 
its beauty, or the Helianthus, standing boldly erect, as if it held the soil 'by right. 
Scattered in their midst gleams the bright purple and blue Asters , while in almost every 
sodded nook and corner the bright Taraxacum turns toward you its cheerful face. In 
walks merely for pleasure at the close of a day’s labor, many minor ^points escaped 
attention, yet one fact struck me particularly in regard to the Asters, and that was the 
little attention they paid to the manual as regards their size. For example Aster 
dumosus, L., said to be from 10—3° high, very rarely falls below 4» and I have seen it six. 
Again Aster erieoides, L., instead of being from Ip— l^p high, ranges from 2o—4o. On 
the other hand an Aster which IJudge to be A tenuifolius, L.,' is very rarely found 2b 
high, and yet that is the minimum given in Gray’s manual. M. S. C. 
All communications should he addressed to 
j John M. Conifer, Hanover, Ind. 
M. S. Coulter, Lotransport, Ind. 
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