ALBERT

Description: Platanthera angustata (Bl.) Lndl., Gen. et sp. Orch. (1835), 290; etc.\nSumatra: Atjeh, Gajolanden, Poetjoek Angasan, bivouac 1 to 2, 2700 m, blang ground, marshy heath, common (C. G. G. J. van Steenis n. 8350, 28 Jan. 1937). G. Leuser, bivouac 4\xe2\x80\x945, watershed, 2700\xe2\x80\x942800 m (C. G. G. J. van Steenis n. 8502, 31 Jan. 1937). Same locality, central top, Aloer near bivouac 6, 3250\xe2\x80\x943300 m, mountain meadow (C. G. G. J. van Steenis n. 8683, 3 Febr. 1937). G. Goh Lemboeh, from bivouac Aer Poetih waterfall to bivouac Halfweg, 1000 m (C. G. G. J. van Steenis n. 8902, 8 Febr. 1937).

Description: Eighteen species of plants, most of which were chosen at random, were sown beside a hedge of Artemisia Absinthium; they were severely injured and in one ease ( Levisticum officinale) even killed by the chemical excretions of the latter within a distance of \xc2\xb1 100 cm; seedlings of Artemisia Absinthium, on the contrary, were not harmed by the plants in the hedge. The experiments were made during two successive summers and in different surroundings; the results were consistent and confirmed those of Bode, notwithstanding the fact that climatic conditions were extremely unfavourable for the excretion of absinthiin and that even during fine weather it appeared to be feeble owing to the sea climate of Leiden. Spells of cold and of heavy rains sometimes kept the excretion so low that temporarily the absinth plants seemed to exert no action at all.\nSeedlings which had survived the proximity of the absinth in their first year developed normally during the next season. It was demonstrated that the proximity of Atriplex hortensis had no influence on the same test plants which were injured by Artemisia Absinthium and that they were only physically oppressed by Artemisia vulgaris, viz. by its spreading, branches. This makes it probable that it is indeed the absinthiin, excreted by Artemisia Absinthium, which causes this species to be harmful to the surrounding plants.\nFresh leaves of Artemisia Absinthium, dug in the soil, reduced the percentage of germination and sometimes also hindered the development of the seedlings of a number of species. Foliage of Artemisia vulgaris had sometimes a similar action, but seldom to the same degree. In the case of A. Absinthium two harmful effects are apparently combined: a too great amount of organic manure and the formation of absinthiin.\nIt will be worth while to examine the ecological importance of Artemisia Absinthium in its natural habitat.

Description: Among the plants collected in the West-Indies by I. Boldingh during the years 1909 and 1910 there was a grass determined as Paspalum hemisphericum Poir., a name changed into glabrum. These determinations are incorrect because Paspalum hemisphericum Poiret is the same as the wellknown Paspalum paniculatum L. and also quite different from Poiret\xe2\x80\x99s Paspalum glabrum, which, according to Mrs. A. Chase\xe2\x80\x99s investigations, is the Paspalum laxum of Lamarck.\nAmong Bolding\xe2\x80\x99s plants there is a good specimen from the island of Bonaire, which, studied with Chase\xe2\x80\x99s work on the North-American species of Paspalum, could not be identified. In Chase\xe2\x80\x99s work also the species of Central-America and the West-Indian Islands are taken up, moreover the latter are also treated in Hitchcock\xe2\x80\x99s posthumous work on the grasses of that region.

Description: A collection of samples containing algae from the salines of Bonaire was brought home by Mr P. Wagenaar Hummelinck from his trips to the Netherlands West Indian Islands in 1930 and in 1936\xe2\x80\x941937. Though these trips were chiefly undertaken in order to gather zoological material (1, 2) 1), the collector paid attention to botanical objects as well, results of which are to be found in eight earlier papers (3\xe2\x80\x9410).\nSeveral data concerning Bonaire can be learned from Mr Wagenaar Hummelinck\xe2\x80\x99s publications. The island, having an area of about 265 km2, is chiefly composed of quaternary limestone (coralrocks), which forms a large plateau in the North East and the South. The Northwestern part of the island is much higher and more indented. Klein Bonaire, having an area of only 7 km2 and situated \xc2\xbe km West of Bonaire, consists of a low limestone plateau only.

Description: Planta florens 62\xe2\x80\x9472 cm alta. Caulis inferne vaginatus, ceterum foliatus. Folia c. 8, lineari-lanceolata ad linearia, breviter acuminata ad sensim acutata, acuta, sicco membranacea, 12.5\xe2\x80\x9414 cm longa, 1.8\xe2\x80\x941.1 cm lata, superiora decrescentia et sensim in bracteas vergentia; vaginae inferiores longe tubulosae, superiores 0. Inflorescentia sublaxe vel subdense multiflora, glabra, rachide 12\xe2\x80\x9418 cm longa. Bracteae majusculae, oblongo-ovatae, sensim longe acuminatae, acutae, concavae, c. 2.4 cm longae, 0.8 cm latae. Flores erecto-patentes, inferiores c. 2.3 cm longi. Sepalum dorsale cum petalis galeiforme, ellipticum, vix ovatum, apice leviter contractum, obtusum, basi vix contractum, coneavum, 3-nervium, costa media dorso prominula, c. 0.8 cm longum, 0.4 cm latum. Sepala lateralia oblique elliptica, leviter sigmoidea, apice contracta obtusa et irregulariter marginata (minute crenulata), basi contracta, concava, 3-nervia, c. 0.85 cm longa, 0.35 cm lata. Petala oblique oblonga, margine interiore leviter sigmoidea, paulo inaequilatera praesertim versus basin, obtusa, 2-nervia, c. 0.75 cm longa, 0.25 cm lata. Labellum 3-partitum, calcaratum, usque ad apicem laciniae intermediae 1 cm longum, lamina reflexa, ungue gynostemio adpresso costulis 3 longitudinalibus convexis instructo bene 0.1 cm longo, laciniis lateralibus patentibus cum lacinia intermedia angulum acutum facientibus bene 0.7 cm longis ex ungue late lineari 0.24 cm longo dilatatis et 3/5\xe2\x80\x94 2/3, partibus superioribus extus in lacinulas c. 7 inaequales patentes lineares 0.14\xe2\x80\x940.38 cm longas partitis, lacinia intermedia recta lineari anguste obtusa 0.65 cm longa, 0.075 cm lata; calcar dependens, rectum, clavatum, dimidio superiore inflato, 1.65 cm longum. Gynostemium usque ad apicem processuum stigmaticorum c. 0.53 cm metiens, connectivo hippocrepidiformi, thecis longe remotis subovalibus, canalibus thecas superantibus incurvis linearibus, auriculis parvis. Proeessus stigmatici porrecti, canales superantes, apice recurvi, oblongi, falcati, subacuti. Ovarium pedicellatum.\nBali: Goenoeng Agoeng, southern slope, 1500\xe2\x80\x942000 m, grass-fields, common (C. G. G. J. van Steenis n. 7790, type, in Herb. Buitenz. and Leiden, 6 April 1936; \xe2\x80\x9codour of hyacinths\xe2\x80\x9d).

Description: The first question in this field of science is: can we say, that there is actually any relation between taxonomy and chemistry of plants? Nearly a century ago the worker in chemistry Rochleder (10) attempted to show the possibility of this relation and called that branch of science phytochemistry.\nTo begin with, something must be said about the products in question, Glucose, sucrose, several aminoacids and other acids are, of course, left out of account. Only those chemical products, which are more or less specific and characterise larger or smaller groups of plants are considered here.

Description: The genera Mina and Lepistemon belong to the Ipomoeeae Hall, f., Stictocardia and Argyreia to the Argyreieae Hall. f.

Description: La tourbi\xc3\xa8re au Sud de Veenendaal, dans la Vall\xc3\xa9e Gueldroise, ayant environ la forme d\xe2\x80\x99une halt\xc3\xa8re, a son origine dans une nappe d\xe2\x80\x99eau eutrophe, d\xc3\xa9ja pr\xc3\xa9sente lors de la premi\xc3\xa8re phase du tardiglaciaire. Dans les commencements s\xe2\x80\x99y forma un s\xc3\xa9diment (sable humeux), qui se composait, outre de restes v\xc3\xa9g\xc3\xa9taux, de sable apport\xc3\xa9 par le vent. Il est impossible qu\xe2\x80\x99un bras du Rhin ait coul\xc3\xa9 l\xc3\xa0 en ces temps. La tourbe se compose de mati\xc3\xa8res successivement eutrophes et m\xc3\xa9sotrophes. Une grande partie du profil (depuis le d\xc3\xa9but de l\xe2\x80\x99Atlanticum), est compos\xc3\xa9e de tourbe de marais bois\xc3\xa9 (Broekveen). Dans les sondages les plus m\xc3\xa9ridionaux on trouve de l\xe2\x80\x99argile dans les couches sup\xc3\xa9rieures (provenant probablement d\xe2\x80\x99inondations venant du c\xc3\xb4t\xc3\xa9 du Rhin). A mesure qu\xe2\x80\x99on s\xe2\x80\x99approche du Sud, l\xe2\x80\x99argile occupe une place de plus en plus importante dans le profil. Il n\xe2\x80\x99est trace de mati\xc3\xa8res oligotrophes (tourbe de Sphagnum), ni m\xc3\xaame dans le sondage VK (Veenkampen), o\xc3\xb9 cependant la carte g\xc3\xa9ologique mentionne une couche d\xe2\x80\x99argile recouvrant la haute tourbi\xc3\xa8re. La tourbe oligotrophe a sans doute \xc3\xa9t\xc3\xa9 compl\xc3\xa8tement enlev\xc3\xa9e par une extraction commenc\xc3\xa9e d\xc3\xa8s le moyen-\xc3\xa2ge. Il apert que l\xe2\x80\x99histoire des for\xc3\xaats que l\xe2\x80\x99on peut constater dans la tourbe, depuis la premi\xc3\xa8re phase du tardiglaciaire jusqu\xe2\x80\x99\xc3\xa0 la fin de l\xe2\x80\x99Atlanticum (premi\xc3\xa8re apparition de Fagus), est conforme aux r\xc3\xa9sultats acquis pour des tourbi\xc3\xa8res environnantes de cette m\xc3\xaame \xc3\xa9poque, par d\xe2\x80\x99autres investigateurs. Seulement un maximum prononc\xc3\xa9 de Corylus manque dans notre tourbi\xc3\xa8re. Les couches sup\xc3\xa9rieures de la tourbi\xc3\xa8re ne pr\xc3\xa9sentent pas de spectres polliniques r\xc3\xa9cents, mais les spectres qu\xe2\x80\x99on y trouve ferment un ensemble harmonieux avec ceux des couches plus profondes. Nous avons constat\xc3\xa9 que la couche de mousse vivante, dans le Bennekommer Meent offre un spectre pollinique qui repr\xc3\xa9sente assez bien la v\xc3\xa9g\xc3\xa9tation foresti\xc3\xa8re actuelle. Nous avons d\xc3\xa9crit un sondage dans une petite tourbi\xc3\xa8re isol\xc3\xa9e a l\xe2\x80\x99Est du Emmikhuizerberg, qui offre enti\xc3\xa8rement un caract\xc3\xa8re tardiglaciaire. Au cas o\xc3\xb9 l\xe2\x80\x99examen de GL et de AH III et \xc3\xa9ventuellement d\xe2\x80\x99autres sondages (encore en projet), nous ouvriraient de nouveaux horizons, nous donnerons en temps et lieu des informations a ce sujet.\nNous avons accompli cette \xc3\xa9tude au Mus\xc3\xa9e et Herbier Botanique d\xe2\x80\x99Utrecht (Directeur M. le Professeur A. A. PULLE). Je tiens a remercier ici M. F. FLORSCH\xc3\x9cTZ pour ses pr\xc3\xa9cieux conseils et pour la mani\xc3\xa8re enthousiaste avec laquelle il a bien voulu guider ce travail. En m\xc3\xaame temps je veux exprimer ma gratitude affectueuse envers Mlle A. M. J. VAN BERESTEYN pour la traduction dont elle s\xe2\x80\x99est charg\xc3\xa9e.

Description: Originally it had been my intention to write a monograph of the Melastomataceae occurring in the Malay Archipelago. Owing to difficulties caused by the development of the political situation it was impossible for me, to carry out this plan to its full extent. As the important collections of the Herbarium of the Buitenzorg Botanical Garden could not be consulted and as most foreign herbaria too were inaccessible, I had to restrict myself almost entirely to the study of the collections preserved in the Utrecht and Leyden Herbaria. These however, though not so rich as those of the Buitenzorg herbarium, are very important, especially by the large number of type specimens. Of the great number of species described from parts of the Malay Archipelago outside the Dutch influence sphere, the types themselves could as a rule not be examined, and duplicates too were but rarely available. For this reason I was forced to restrict my endeavours almost entirely to the examination of the material collected in the parts known as the Netherlands East Indies. However, all genera known from the malayan region, for so far as they are in my opinion well-defined, have been incorporated in my keys.\nA detailed study of the Netherlands East Indian species was possible for me, as almost all important types are present in the Leyden and Utrecht Herbaria. The Melastomataceae especially those from Sumatra, Java and New Guinea are richly represented in these collections. Borneo, Celebes and the Lesser Sunda Islands probably would yield interesting results. The rich collections obtained from British North Borneo and Sarawak make it probable that the harvest obtained from the Netherlands part of Borneo will also contain many new and interesting forms, but of these collections but a small part has been distributed so far by the Buitenzorg herbarium.

Description: Het Hurener Veld is gelegen in de provincie Overijssel, ten Noorden van de spoorlijn Almelo-Zwolle; tussen Wierden en Nijverdal (zie kaart, fig. 1). Het maakt deel uit van een klein veen van ongeveer 13,5 km\xc2\xb2, dat nu practisch geheel ontgonnen is. Dit veen ligt in een dal, dat in het Oosten en Westen begrensd wordt door heuvelruggen, die ontstaan zijn door stuwing van de Riss-gletschers.\nAan de Westkant zorgt de Regge voor de afwatering van dit dal. Deze afwatering moet echter zeer onvoldoende zijn geweest, waardoor in het dal veenvorming mogelijk was. Het ontstaan van het aangrenzende moerasveen (lagg) in het Noorden kan ook het gevolg zijn geweest van deze onvoldoende afwatering; ongelukkig genoeg is dit moerasveen geheel ontgonnen, zodat een onderzoek naar het verband met het veen van het Hurener Veld onmogelijk is.