Biologie. — Morphologie etc. — Physiologie. — Palaeontologie. 227 



also in der Verbreitungsbiologie dieses Cypenis eine bedeutsame 

 Rolle, und es wäre wohl denkbar, dass durch diese Verbreitungsart 

 die Ausbreitung durch Samen zurückgedrängt werden könnte. — 

 Verf. teilt gleichzeitig mit, dass die Samen des C. bulbosus auch 

 von den Eingeborenen genossen werden, ähnlich wie diejenigen 

 von C. esculentus. Leeke (Neubabelsberg). 



Thoday (Sykes), M. G., Note on the Inflorescence axis 

 in Gnetum. (Ann. Bot. XXVI. p. 621—622. April 1912.) 



The difference between the vascular supply of the male inflo- 

 rescence axes of Gnetum scandens and G. Africanum is due to the 

 absence of a 'descending' series of bundles in the former species 

 and its presence in the latter. The possible reasons are given for 

 the difference in the State of development of the 'descending' series 

 in the female axes of these two species, and the author states that 

 hardfy any trace of it is found in G. Gnemon and G. funiculare. 



E. de Fraine. 



Petrie, J. M., Hydrocyanic acid in plant s. Part I. Its 



distribution in the Australian flora. (Linn. Soc. N. S. 



Wales Abstr. Proc. 300. p. IV. 1912.) 



The paper consists of a list of about 300 native plants, repre- 



senting 65 natural Orders. These plants were tested for the presence 



of cyanogenetic glucosides and of elmusin-like ferments, 1) by 



macerating in water or by the action of Chloroform vapour; 2) by 



adding emulsin prepared from sweet almonds; 3) by adding amyg- 



dalin prepared from bitter almonds. The table shows 36 plants 



giving positive results, in which hydrocyanic acid is liberated by 



a natural ferment in the plant. It includes also seven exotic plants, 



in which the presence of hydrocyanic acid is recorded for the 



first time. Hydrocyanic acid is now held to play an important part 



in the metabolism of those plants in which its Compounds occur. 



Author's abstract. 



Arber, E. A. N., A note onsome fossil Plants from the 

 Kent Coal-field. (Geol. Mag. IX. 573. p. 97-99. pl. V. 1912.) 



The paper describes two new species from the Upper Carbo- 

 niferous floras of the Kent Coal-field. A new genus is described in 

 Dictyocalamites Burri, which appears to be allied to Calamites. The 

 most striking feature of the plant is the reticulated series of ridges 

 in the internode, which appear to be a unique character. It is not 

 clear whether this is an external feature, or whether the specimens 

 represent pith casts of a species of Calamites, but the author incli- 

 nes to the former view. 



The second species is not named, but described as Pterophyl- 

 lutn sp., from the same boring as the other. It may be compared 

 with Pt. blechnoides from the Stephanian. The genus is recorded 

 for the first time in the Transition Coal measures of England, and 

 is an exemple of one of the early forerunners of the mesophy tic floras 

 that followed in later times. Two photographs of fragments of this 

 leaf are given. M. C. Stopes (London). 



Arber, E. A. N., The fossil Flora ofthelngleton Coal- 

 field (Yorkshire). (Geol. Mag. IX. 572. p. 80-82. 1912.) 

 The fossil plants from the Ingleton Coal-field have been little 



