218 
that these regarding influences, beginning with 0.5, increase as 
the concentration increases. 
Pfeffer* explaines this by saying that a concentrated salt solu- 
tion has the same effect on the plantas a relatively dry soil would 
have, i.e. makes it very difficult for the plant to procure its neces- 
sary water. Experiments conducted by the author show that 
a concentrated solution of sodium chloride almost wholly destroys 
the assimilation of starch or glucose, so that neither are formed to 
any extent in the plant. 
Germinating seedlings of corn were cultivated in a normal 
culture solution, both with and without ao.5 (Proc.) solution of 
common salt. The first remained for three months, during the 
time of the experiment, without change and perfectly healthy ; the 
second in a similar solution but without salt, in the same time 
grew to very large dimensions. The plants cultivated with the 
salt solution contained neither starch nor glucose, while the other 
set of plants had their tissues filled with both. Plants cultivated 
in solutions with less salt give similar results, but less pronounced. 
Like results were obtained with a series of different plants, and the 
soe deduces the following conclusion with respect to all hal- 
/ophytes, which invariably possess some kind of protective 
characters, just as desert plants do, to ensure them against a too 
| rapid transpiration, and for the following reasons: 
1. On account of the very greatly increased difficulty for such 
plants to obtain their water supply, while growing in salt water or 
-asoil saturated by the same. 
| 2. Because concentrated salt solutions i in the plant cells wholly 
check the assimilative activity. 
| 3. Because still more concentrated solutions cause the death 
_ of the plant. 
| In Java the sea-shore plants, or strand plants, may be readily 
divided into four groups : 
1. The Mangrove-formation, covering the area of flood tide. 
| 2. The Nipa-formation, distinguished through the presence of 
immense numbers of ipa fruticosa, a small stemless palm which 
replaces the Mangrove in places where the water is less salt. 
3. The Katappa-formation, growing just outside the reach of the | 
*Pfeffer, Pflanzenphysiologie I. S. 151. 
. 
