NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. LOS 



ther investigation, but thought it quite likely, in spite of the hypogynouB 

 flower, Phytolacca would be found more nearly related to Solamicea- than to 

 Uhenopodiaceee, near which it was now placed. 



He then exhibited some shoots of Grape Vine, and said that Dr. Engelman 

 had pointed out, when at the Academy last year, that there was some numeri- 

 cal order in the tendrils of grape vines. In the specimen he exhibited every 

 third node had no tendril; but he had- seen some grapevines in which as 

 many as eight nodes with tendrils had followed one another. In the mature 

 wood, however, those without tendrils perfected the strongest buds. But he 

 had found in the allied genus Ampelopsis a nearly regular system of buds and 

 tendrils. In A. hederacea, the common Virginia or five fingered creeper, the 

 strong shoots running up a wall or tree had at every third node a strong axil- 

 lary bud, without any tendril; while the two intervening nodes had tendrils 

 without axillary buds. Occasionally, but very rarely, two successive nodes 

 would have axillary buds, in which case the lower one would be smaller, and 

 have also a small tendril on the opposite side. Ampelopsis Vietchii had the 

 same character. He had attempted to propagate this by using nodes from 

 which the tendrils pushed, as single bud cuttings, but failed to get any devel- 

 opment from the axils. He believed they had not a trace of a bud in even 

 the most rudimentary state. It had been said in Darwin's paper on motion in 

 tendrils that the gland on the end of the tendril did not develop itself until it 

 approached the object it was to cling to. In Ampelopsis Vietchii, they developed 

 before this, in the shape of small globes, looking like rudiments of the same 

 flower which ultimately appeared. In fact tendrils here were incipient flower 

 branches, as any one could see by tracing the common Ampelopsis It* ii raeea up 

 to its final flowering condition, when, the axial growth ending in a terminal 

 bud, instead of the usual lateral tendril, it seemed to erect itself and bear 

 flowers. It would seem as if it was only by the elongation of the axis, demand- 

 ing and drawing to itself nutriment which would otherwise go into the ten- 

 dril, which made it a tendril, and not a flower shoot. 



He did not, however, intend at this time to attempt any explanation of these 

 series of observations. He thought there was nothing in any known law of 

 Phyllotaxis which would explain them ; and that by following them up mat- 

 ters of much interest to botany might be evolved. But, as he might have 

 more to say about it some day, and winter was approaching, he thought to 

 call the attention of the Academy to the facts, so that those interested might 

 examine them for themselves before the frost destroyed the specimens. 



The death of Mr. Wm. P. Wilstach was announced. 



Sept. 21th. 

 The President, Dr. Ruschenberger, in the Chair. 



Twenty- one members present. 



The report of a Committee appointed to draft resolutions regard- 

 ing the death of the late Wm. P. Wilstach was received, and the 

 following Resolutions adopted : 



The death of William P. Wilstach, at Saratoga, Sept. 17, 1870, has been 

 announced to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 



Mr. Wilstach during his connection of ten years with this institution has 

 been distinguished among its members by his liberal, intelligent and prompt 

 encouragement of everv enterprise calculated to increase and diffuse knowl- 

 edge of the Natural Sciences. Besides many donations at different times, he 

 <rave a thousand dollars towards the publication of the last volume of the 

 Academy's Journal ; a thousand dollars to the building fund, and m addition 

 he made a conditional subscription of five thousand dollars to the same fund 

 These facts are cited in evidence of Mr. Wilstach's interest in the progress or 



1870.] 



