126 GENETICS [BoT. Absts., Vol. VII, 



856. Baton, H. Racial and sexual differences in the appendix vennifonnis. Anat. 

 Rec. 19:241-249. Sept. 20, 1920. — Statistics based on surgical records distinct!}' indicate 

 a greater frequency of appendicitis in the white race than in the negro, but the records are 

 shown to be subject to error in favor of the white frequency. Therefore, a comparative 

 study of structure of the appendix was undertaken to determine if there are racial and 

 sexual differences, with special reference to "susceptibility to inflammation." One hundred 

 appendices, recently removed, many for other causes than appendicitis, were examined as 

 to both gross and microscopic characters. The following results were obtained: — (1) "The 

 musculature of the white appendix .... seemed slightly stronger than that of the 

 negro;" (2) the white appendix on the average "is shorter and wider;" (3) is "richer in crypts;" 

 and (4) is "rich in lymphocytes and poor in vascularity," while the negro is exactly the 

 reverse. Considered in relation to "other diseases of the lymphatic system," these findings 

 "seem to prove that the white race is more subject to lymphocytic stasis than the negro." — 

 As to sexual differences, it was found that the male appendix is "longer and wider than the 

 female" and the latter is richer in fat, conforming in these respects with prevailing sex dif- 

 ferences. — H. J. Banker. 



857. Blakeslee, A. F. Sexual differentiation in the bread molds. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. 

 Med. 16: 131. 1919. — Primitive sexual forms are hermaphroditic, both the gametes, and 

 the plants themselves, differing in size. Interaction of two sexual races, regardless of 

 species, is necessary for production of sexual spores or "imperfect hybridization." — Dif- 

 ferent races display variations in sexual vigor. Some seem neutral ; hermaphrodites sometimes 

 produce races showing hermaphroditic, female, male, or neutral tendencies. — Andrew I. 

 Dawson. 



858. Blakeslee, Albert F., John Belling, and M. E. Farnham, Chromosomal dupli- 

 cation and Mendelian phenomena in Datura mutants. Science 52 : 388-390. Oct. 22, 1920. — 

 The authors have begun a study of the relationship between the cytological condition and 

 the phenomena of mutation and Mendelian inheritance. Datura Stramonium, the Jimson 

 weed, upon which they are working, has normally 24 chromosomes in diploid and 12 in hap- 

 loid. 12 recurrent mutants have 25 in diploid. The extra chromosome is presumably deter- 

 mined by the duplication of a particular chromosome which has been identified as the one 

 carrying the gene for a particular Mendelian character. Duplication may extend to all of 

 the chromosomes producing tetraploid mutants in which the independent assortment of the 

 chromosomes in the homologous sets is found to be the rule. — Helen Bergfried. 



859. Blaringhem, L. Heredite et nature de la pelorie de Digitalis purpurea L. [Heredity 

 and nature of the peloria of Digitalis purpurea L.] Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. 171 : 252-254. 

 July, 1920. Cross-fertilization of a plant with regular axial peloria, probably recessive as to 

 flower color, with a wild purple-flowered Digitalis purpurea were made by the author. From 

 the results of this experiment the conclusion is reached that the peloria of this species is an 

 extreme case of regular hereditary f asciation ; when crossed with wild Digitalis purpurea the 

 normal cluster form is dominant over the fasciation, with partial, graduated reversion in prog- 

 eny of the second and third generations. Individual plants or flowers show partial sterility. 

 —Edith K. Cash. 



860. Blaringhem, L. Variations florales chez la Grande Marguerite (Leucanthemum 

 vulgare, Lamarck). [Floral variations in the large daisy.] Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris 

 169: 193-195. 1919.— Author calls attention to tendency of this daisy (Chrysanthemum 

 Leucanthemum L.) to develop vigorous colonies on recently cleared or exposed land. Time 

 of colony formation favors variation and author reports on group of more than a thou- 

 sand plants that grew on site of drained pond. Heights of plants ranged from 80-150 cm. 

 while same species in suburbs of Paris ranged from 40-70 cm. In colony were 5 fasciated 

 plants. A single ligulate floret was found metamorphosed into tubular one. Counts on 

 100 heads for ligule number gave modes at 25 and 33 while in case of 9-year-old culture of 



