388 Morphologie etc. — Varietäten etc. — Physiologie. 



Stiles, W., The Podocarpeae. (Ann. Bot. XXVI. p. 443—514. pl. 

 46—48. 8 Text-figs. 1912.) 



In this memoir the literature bearing on the Podocarpeae is 

 summarised and discussed, and a large number of new observations 

 are recorded. The subjects dealt with include the vegetative struc- 

 ture, the male cones, the female fructifications, the gametophytes 

 and embryology, geographical distribution and the fossil records. 

 The interrelationships and phylogeny of the group are fully discussed. 



From a comparative study of the leaves in the different genera 

 of the order, the author concludes that the parallel-veined leaves of 

 the section Nageia of the genus Podocarpus are not primitive, as 

 has sometimes been supposed, but derived. He regards the Saxego- 

 thaea type of leaf as primitive, and supposes that the Nageia type 

 has been derived from the single-veined leaf, not merely during 

 the course of evolution of the Podocarpeae, but during that of the 

 genus Podocarpus itself. He pictures the primitive Podocarpean 

 plant as a tree, bearing spirally arranged leaves of a Yew- or 

 Saxegothaea-like appearance, and with its reproductive shoots bearing 

 male and female cones, with the sporophylls spirally arranged. On 

 the upper parts of the reproductive shoots there was a gradual 

 transition between foliage leaves and sporophylls. Each microsporo- 

 phyll bore two sporangia, while each megasporophyll bore in its 

 axil a Single erect ovule surrounded by a single integument. The 

 author looks upon the epimatium as an incomplete outer integu- 

 ment, which originated at a later stage owing to the inversion of 

 the ovule. 



The author regards the modern coniferous groups as monophy- 

 letic. Referring to their common ancestor he says, "it seems quite 

 impossible to regard that ancestor as approaching at all nearly the 

 Cordaitales, for in one group, the Podocarpeae, the more primitive 

 members, which exhibit undoubted resemblances to other groups, 

 Araucarieae and Abietineae , as well as exhibiting other features 

 which must be regarded as primitive, are unlike, in almost very 

 character, the Cordaitales as at present known." 



The author is inclined to regard the evidence, at present 

 available, as favouring the theory of the Lycopodialean ancestry ot 

 the Conifers. Agnes Arber (Cambridge). 



Mall. Die Ergebnisse verschiedener Getreidebastardierun- 

 gen. (Deutsche landw. Presse, p. 164. 3 Abb. 1912.) 



Verf. gibt im Anschluss an frühere Arbeiten die Ergebnisse 

 der Bastardierung dicht- und lockerähriger Sommerweizenformen 

 und zeigt an der Hand von Zahlen den gesetzmässigen Verlauf der 

 Vererbung der Dicht- und Lockerährigkeit. I. Stamm. 



Colin, H. et A. Senechal. Le fer est-il le catalyseur dans 

 l'oxydation des phenols par la peroxydiastase du Raifort. 

 (C. R. Ac. Sc. Paris. CLIV. p. 236. 22 Januar 1912.) 



L'action des acides sur l'oxydation des di- et triphenols par la 

 Peroxydase de Raifort ne permet pas d'attribuer ä des sels de fer 

 ionises Tactivite oxydante du jus de Raifort; les acides n'agissent, 

 en effet, sur la Peroxydase, que par leurs ions H. Du reste la Con- 

 stitution chimique des jus vegetaux s'oppose ä ce qu'il y puisse 



