1880.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 129 



South Carolina. It was generall}' known that in this species the 

 cotyledon did not divide into two lobes as usual in acorns, but 

 seemed to be of one solid mass, without any trace of a division. 

 In germination, however, two petioles were developed as in other 

 aconis, but instead of these being veiy short, indeed nearly 

 sessile, as in the ordinary white oak, thej' were produced appar- 

 enth' in the much advanced specimens sent by Mr. Mazj'ck to 1^ 

 inches in length before the plumule and hypocotyledonary portions 

 of the embrj'o commenced their growth. In respect to the latter, 

 a small ovate, striate tuber, apparent!}' as one might judge from 

 the shrivelled specimens on hand, nearly one-fourth the size of the 

 acorn was formed, and from this tuber the radicle proceeded, and, 

 afterwards, the plumule on its upward growth. 



Mr. Meehan said he had since examined sprouting acorns of 

 Quercus alba, Q. nibra, Q. arenaria, and Q. prinoidea, noticing a 

 very slight tendencv to a tuberous condition, onl}'- in the last 

 named. But in regard to the lengthening of the petioles, he was 

 surprised to find a variation in each species. In Quercus pri- 

 voides, the petioles were nearly- an inch in length. 



He believed the discovery would be of great value to sj'stematic 

 botanists in the determination of species in this very difficult 

 genus, and should examine and report after an examination of 

 manv other species, but thought proper to call the attention of the 

 Academy to the matter in this early stage that due credit might 

 be recorded to Mr. Maz^'ck for his interesting discovery. 



Mr. Edw, Potts, at the request of Mr. Meehan, had made 

 sections of both the acorn and the spindle-shaped radicle, with the 

 result of finding the cell structure of the latter an almost exact 

 counterpart of that in the nut: L e., sub-spherical cells of uniform 

 size, gorged with starch grains. So similar were they that it 

 would be nearly impossible for an observer to say which he was 

 examining but for the cortical tissue surrounding the root. It 

 seemed that the food supply of the young plant had been thns 

 withdrawn from a position exposed to hot sun and drying winds, 

 to one protected by the earth and in the direct line of growth. 

 No line of specialized cells could be discovered in the sections of 

 the nut, indicating the possibilitj' of a separation as in other 

 species into two cotyledons ; so that to all intents and purposes it 

 might be called monocotjledonous. 



February 24. 



The President, Dr. Ruschenberger, in the chair. 



Twent3-nine persons present. 



A paper entitled " Carcinological Notes, No. 3," by J. S. Kings- 

 ley, was presented for publication. 



