28 . Proceedings of the Club 



compare the nucleus to the animal rather than the plant type. 

 Precisely similar conditions are, however, found in some plant cells. 



The presence of a nucleus in the Schizophyta has been a point 

 of controversy. Biitschli asserts the nuclear character of the central 

 body, and regards the red granules as chromatin. A. Fischer 

 denies the accuracy of the former*s conclusions, the question re- 

 maining an open one. When our knowledge is complete it is 

 highly probable that the nucleus will be found to be of the dis- 

 tributed type, of a type therefore comparable to that of the simpler 

 protozoa. In any case the nucleus of the lower plants is much 

 more primitive than that of the Myxomycetcs. We are led there- 

 fore to regard these curious, much-debated forms, the Myxomy- 

 cetcs, as either plants of a higher type than the Schizophyta w^hich 

 have degenerated, or as animals related probably to the Sporozoa. 

 For the former view there is now little evidence. 



The secretary addressed the club briefly regarding the dis- 

 carded species Aster gracilcntus T. & G., and exhibited its type to 

 the members. This formed a sheet of the herbarium of M. A. 

 Curtis, now at Princeton, and was exhibited through the courtesy 

 of Professor Geo. IMacloskie of that university. 



Dr. Howe exhibited a number of examples of Wolffia, discov- 

 ered floating in Van Cortlandt Lake, constituting the third re- 

 corded collection within New York State of this minutest of flow- 

 ering plants. 



Dr. Britton reported two interesting additions to the collec- 

 tions of the New York Botanical Garden : 



1st. A valuable collection of photographs and apparatus illus- 

 trating the cultivation of the poppy in Asia Minor, 



2d. A gift from Mr. Peter Barr, the English horticulturist, 

 of a collection of N'arcissus and Paconia for planting in the Botanic 



r 



Garden. The claim of free entry as museum material was at first 

 refused by the New York Custom House, but after five different 

 appeals, the final decision was that the material Avas proper to an 

 outdoor museum, and free entry was granted. 



Edward S. Burgess, 



Secretary. 



