90 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



two parts is complete in Ju/iipents and Chamaecyparis. A fusion of the 

 vascular supplies does not run directly parallel with fusion of bract and 

 scale. Separate origin of the vascular supplies occurs most generally in 

 tlie Podocarpineffi and Abietineae ; fusion of the supplies is best shown 

 in the Araucarineai ; both types of bundle-origin are represented in the 

 same strobilus in Cryptovwria, Cupressus Benthamii, and the lower 

 sporophylls of Fmus. The bract-bundle in plants with uninerved 

 foliage-leaves divides only slightly, if at all; the extent of the scale 

 bundle-system is directly related to the size of the organ supplied. The 

 scale-bundles in the Abietinete and Chamaecyparis form in the expanded 

 portion of the organ a straight row or arc ; in members of the Taxo- 

 dinea? and Cupressineaj .scale-bundles swing round so as to lie at each 

 side of the bract-bundle. In Cryptomeria and Ct/pressus Benthamii, and 

 perhaps Canninyhamia Davidi'ina, scale-bundles accompany the bract- 

 bundle into the free portion of the bract. A branching bundle in the 

 foliage-leaf in Araucaria and Ayathis probably implies a branching 

 bundle in the bract of the sporophyll ; the vascular system in the 

 megasporophyll is probably a complex of bract- and scale-bundles. In 

 species of Podocarpus the scale-bundles continue in the portion of the 

 scale folded towards the dorsal side, forming the epimatium of the ovule. 



Gyncscium of Parinarium.* — H. 0. Juel pubhshes a paper dealing 

 with the systematic position of Parinarium and other members of the 

 Chrysobalanoidese. The author has studied two forms, viz., P. curatelli- 

 folivm yar. fn/ticiilosum and P. banyireolefise, and finds that in the early 

 stages of development of the gynoecium of the former there are three 

 rudimentary carpels, corresponding to the tripartite stigma. In normal 

 flowers both the posterior chambers are sterile and undeveloped, but the 

 mature ovary is bilocular, owing to the formation of a false partition. 

 Not infrequently, however, abnormal flowers arise in which there are 

 three distinct chambers. In P. hanyweolense reduction is more complete, 

 but abnormal flowers appear to indicate a tricarpellary condition. The 

 author is of the opinion that the Parinarium type of gynoecium is based 

 upon a trimerous form similar to that found in the Limnanthaceae. 

 Although the other genera of this group have not yet been examined, 

 it seems probable that all the ChrysobalanoideaB are alike in this respect, 

 and that their relationship to the Prunoidete is doubtful. Although 

 syncarpy is found in other divisions of the Eosaceae, e.g. in the 

 Pomoideffi, dissimilarity in other respects makes it impossible to connect 

 them with the Chrysobalanoidese. The only feature connecting the 

 latter with the Eosiflorae is that of perigyny, a feature w'hich is not, 

 however, confined to this group. The author concludes that while the 

 evidence justifies the separation of the Eosaces and Chrysobalanoidese, 

 it is insufficient at present to allow of the removal of the latter group 

 from the Eosiflorae. 



Embryo-sac of Plumbagella.t — K. Y. 0. Dahlgren pubhshes a 

 paper dealing with a new type of embryo-sac. The author finds that 



* Arkiv Bot., xiv. No. 7 (1915) pp. 1-12 (6 figs.), 

 t Arkiv Bot., xiv. No, 8 (1915) pp. 1-8 (5 figs.). 



