28 0. S. U. Naturalist. [Vol. 1, No. 2 



The retiring president, Professor Scliaffner, gave the address 

 of the evening. He had for his subject " The Life History and 

 Cytology of Erythronium." 



Landacre and others took part in a discussion of the paper. 



J. S. H. 



NEWS AND NOTES. 



The tenth annual meeting of the Ohio State Academy of Science 

 ■will be held at the Ohio State University, Columbus, on December 

 26 and 27, 1900. 



Petioles of the Cottonwood.— The leaves of the Cotton- 

 wood as well as some other species of Populus have an interesting 

 light relation. If one looks at a vigorous shoot, the leaves are seen 

 to be arranged in the profile position around the stem. This is 

 accomplished by means of a very simple device. The petiole is 

 much flattened next to the blade and is quite flexible. The flatten- 

 ing is transverse to the plane of the blade and on this account 

 the leaf will assume the vertical position, no difference in what 

 way it is attached or twisted. This adaptation is also respon- 

 sible for the musical rustle one hears when resting in the shade of 

 the Cottonwood. The leaves are very smooth and nearly alike on 

 both sides. Because of these and other adaptations, the Cottonwood 

 is one of the most successful of our semi-xerophytic trees and one of 

 the last stragglers to be found in the western part of the great 

 plains, J. H. S. 



