the effects of external factors; and finally, the effects of chemicals and ionizing radiations. The 

 brief concluding chapter discusses theoretical subjects such as phyllotactic factors, nature of 

 the centre of leaf generation, and regulative factors and organization. 



All chapters have extensive and up-to-date bibliographies in which non-French contributions 

 are by no means absent. The book is well printed and profusely and beautifully illustrated. 



96 



ACETABULARIA AND CELL BIOLOGY. 1970. By S. PUISEUX-DAO 



Logos Press, London. 174 pp., 44 figs., 13 pis., subject index. ISBN 236 17738 9. $ 9.80, 70 s. 



Contents: 1. Introduction; 2. The biology of Acetabularia; 3. Structure and ultrastructure 

 of Acetabularia; 4. Merotomy and grafting; 5. The biochemistry of Acetabularia; 6. The 

 chloroplasts of Acetabularia and their functional periodicity; 7. Conclusions 



The number of laboratories using the unicellular giant marine alga Acetabularia to study 

 widely divergent aspects of cell biology is rapidly increasing. Therefore this comprehensive 

 monograph will be welcome to many. The author has worked on various aspects of the 

 organism's biology (mainly on the structure and function of plastids) for many years, and is 

 thoroughly familiar with the work of the leading German and Belgian schools. The book has a 

 preface by Jean Brachet. 



Ch. 2, which covers morphology and morphogenesis, reproduction, and culturing methods, is 

 of particular value to those who plan to start research on Acetabularia, because it reviews 

 data which are otherwise difficult to find, including information on other species than those 

 currently used for research purposes. The next three chapters contain much interesting infor- 

 mation for the developmental biologist. Ch. 5 reviews biochemical and autoradiographic work 

 on nucleo-cytoplasmic interactions and cytoplasmic autonomy, as well as the effects of che- 

 mical inhibitors on DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis. It is concluded by a section on the 

 regulation of protein synthesis in this organism. 



The book is illustrated with many graphs, good line drawings, and very instructive photo- 

 graphic plates. The bibliography covers 17 pages and is complete and up to date. The subject 

 index is unfortunately grossly inadequate. It is for instance amazing that there are no entries 

 for morphogenesis or differentiation; other entries, such as those for cap, nucleus, RNA, 

 should have been subdivided. An author index could have considerably increased the usefulness 

 of the book as a source of references. 



97 



CELLULAR DIFFERENTIATION IN PLANTS AND OTHER ESSAYS. 1970. By C. W. WARDLAW 

 Manchester University Press, Manchester, Barnes & Noble Inc., New York. 160 pp., 2 figs., 

 combined author and subject index. SBN 7190 0407 1, 389 01222 X. 40 s., $ 6.50 



Contents: 1. Introduction: on writing botanical essays; 2. Aspects of cellular differentiation 

 in plants; 3. Reconciliations among apex lovers; 4. Enigmas of epigenesis; 5. Organization, 

 disorganization and neo-organization 



Once more the prolific Emeritus Professor of Botany has turned out a volume of essays. In 

 reviewing a book such as this the reviewer must take a personal attitude. And although many 

 of his botanist colleagues may contend that there is not much new insight to be extracted from 

 this book, the present reviewer, a zoologist, must confess that he has read it from cover to 

 cover without halting. However, his enjoyment was perhaps more of a literary than of a 

 scientific nature. The essays are exceedingly well written, with a wonderful sense of humour 

 in places, but they will appeal more to the philosophically minded than to the practical 

 biologist. 



One thing is a pity: that the author virtually ignores (intentionally?) the fairly numerous 

 recent attempts to clarify biological organization by means of models or computer simulation 

 (one important exception being J. Bonner's model of 1965). Perhaps he feels that their signi- 

 ficance is as yet too ephemeral to be discussed in an essay. 



The book is attractively produced and has a good index. 



360 



