290 Allgemeines. — Anatomie. — Biologie. — Morphologie etc. 



Praeger, R. Lloyd, H. W. Leit, A. D. Cotton and M. C. 

 Knowles. Notes on the Flora of the Saltees. (Irish Natur. 

 XXII. p. 181-202. Oct. 1913.) 



This paper deals with the flora of the Great Saltee, an Island 

 of 216 acres lying off the south coast of Co. Weseford, Ireland. 

 Lists are given of the Phanerogamia, Mitsei, Hepnticae, Lichenes, 

 and Marine Algae. The Phanerogamia had been previously listed 

 by H. C. Hart in 1883. Since about 1903 the island has been unin- 

 habited and untilled. In consequence, the number of rabbits and 

 of breeding sea birds has very largely increased, and this has 

 affected a considerable change in the flora. In the paper a close 

 study of these changes is made, and the character of the present 

 Vegetation is studied in detail. The cryptogamic lists contain items 

 of local interest. R. Lloyd Praeger. 



"Lyold, P. E. and C. S. Ridgway. The Behavior of the Nectar 

 Gland in the Cacti with a Note on the Development of 

 the Trichomes and Aeolar Cork. (The Plant World, XV. 

 p. 145-156. July 1912.) 



The nectar glands of the Cactaceae, so far as the}'- ma}'- be repre- 

 sented by Echinocactiis, Opuntia and Maniillaria, are of a type in 

 which secretion of nectar is preceded by digestion ot the epidermal 

 cells, and consequent disorganisation of their walls and contents. 

 This sets free the whole outer mall of the epidermis, from which, 

 however, the cellulose Clement may disappear. There is thus for- 

 med a Chamber for the reception of nectar at the top of the gland. 

 The rupture of the membrane sets the nectar free. In Mamillaria 

 and perhaps Opuntia at first only the cuticle is thrown off, but this 

 is only an early expression of disorganization of the whole epider- 

 mal tissue capping the gland. Harshberger. 



Praeger, R. Lloyd, The buoyancy ofthe seedsofsome 

 Britannic plants. (Sei. Proc. Roy. Dublin Soc. XIV. 3. p. 13—16. 

 May 1913.) 



The power of remaining afloat in water of seeds of 786 species 

 was tested, and the results are given in detail. The general result 

 confirms Darwin's generalization that only about 10 percent of a 

 flore have seeds of buoyancy sufificient to materialJy aid dispersa!. 

 It was found that 44.30/(i of the 786 seeds sank, at once in water, 

 57"/n within a day, 870/,, within a week. The question of causes and 

 degrees of buoyancy, and of the buoyancy displayed b}^ the seeds 

 of different habitals. is gone into; also the buoyancy of fleshy fruits 

 and of fruiting branches. R. Lloyd Praeger. 



Lantis, V., Development ofthe microsporangia and micro- 

 spores of Ahutilon Theophrasti. (Botanical Gazette. LIV. p. 330 — 



335. 1912. 



As far as this account goes, Abutilon Theophrasti follows the 

 conventional development of an Angiosperm. The figures indicate 

 that it might be a good laboratorj'^ type for a study of the develop- 

 ment of the microsporangium. 



Charles J. Chamberlain (Chicago). 



