Page:Journal of botany, British and foreign, Volume 9 (1871).djvu/278

 256 BOTANICAL NEWS.

only portion of the area of the rich Mediterranean flora, which up to the present time has remained totally unknown.

lu the number of the ' Refugium Botanicuni ' which has recently ap- peared, Mr. Baker has described and tigured a new genus of LiUacea, under the name of Symea. It is a plant from Chili, with the general habit of Gagea, but with green tlowers with segments united in a short cup at the base, with only three small stamens from the throat of the cup, alternating with three minute membranous staminodia. The other two triandrous genera of capsular Liliacece are Brodiaa and Leucocoryue, both West American.

Mr. W. G. Smith has kindly forwarded us a letter, which he has just received from the celebrated fungologist Fries, containing some criticisms on the plates of the first part of ' Mycological Iliuslrations,' noticed in our hist number (p. 222). We abstract the following notes: — "Tab. 1. CantharMuvi radicosnm nunquam legi, quare de acutis ditferentiis ignarus A. umhonato subjunxi. Ex icone vestra differentia facile elucet. 3. i. A. dillatitivs, pictus stipite albo, in meo obscure cseruleus e glutine spisso iiiuncto. 3. 2. Statura omnino Cortinarli caUlstei, sed colores valde diversi, raeus pure luteus, vester ferrugineus et optime quadrat in descrip- tionem A. ferruginei. Scop. Fl. Carn. ii. p. 423. 13. A. fumosus, sed non A. polius. Hymen, mon. ii. 16. Colore differt ab Lact. pallido, cujus icon in opere meo ' Sveriges atliga Svampar,' potius iingerem L. qiuetiim. 17. Buletii,^ amarus, B. pachypode \\\ ' Epicr.' subjunctus, sed forte diversns. A^erus B. pachypus, pictus in ' Sveriges atliga Svampar,' cum pi. Boletis et Hydnis carnosis. 20. A. adnoius, eximia nova species. 22. Non Cort. ctpridescens, sed inter protei C. cumat'Uis formas."

Professor F. W. C. Areschoug, of Lund, who is engaged on a general monograph of the genus Riibns, and has already investigated the chief Continental collections, is at present in London examining the Herbaria of the British Museum, Kew, the Linneau Society, etc., and studying the living British forms in the field.

The ' Scottish Naturalist ' for July contains the conclusion of the Eev. J. Keith's list of Mosses found in the vicinity of Forres, and extracts re- lating to Scottish plants from Dr. Boswell Syme's Report of the Botanical Exchange Club.

We learn with regret that M. Fourreau, known as a fellow-worker with M. Jordan in the preparation of the ' Icones,' was killed in one of the battles of the late war.

At a meeting of the Society of Biblical Archaeology on July 4th, the Rev. B. T. Lowne read a paper on the Flora of Palestine ; and Mr. J. Collins, on the Gums, Perfumes, and Resins mentioned in Scripture.

The excellent course of popular lectures on " The Natural History of a Flowering Plant," recently delivered in Dublin by Prof. Thiselton Dyer, and of which abstracts have been printed in the Dublin daily papers and the ' Gardeners' Chronicle,' are to be published in full. Such an intro- duction, elementary and yet on a level with the advanced science of the day, is much wanted.

Communications have been received from : — Hon. J. L. Warren, W. Thiselton Dyer, J. Britten, R. Holland, F. J. Warner, W. Matthews, F. J. llanbury, F. Evershed, Dr. Masters, Dr. Haiice, W. G. Smith, J. Renny, Professor Areschoug, etc.

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