Journal of Applied Microscopy. 473 



the scientific name, the family, color, odor, range, and time of bloom, a brief 

 description to aid in identifying, and finally some account of the plant's habits, 

 habitat, and folk-lore or literary allusions. It is to be regretted that there are 

 frequent lapses into a gushing sentimental style, which detract much from the 

 beauty of the book. There are indices to color, English names, Latin names, 

 and technical terms. In speaking of the cardinal flower, the writer says, that 

 " The generic name, lobelia, has become so familiar that we use it freely, and 

 are unconscious of its being more difficult to manage than the common name. 

 In this connection it comes to the mind to ask if all the botanical names 

 would not become equally simple if we would put ourselves on closer terms of 

 intimacy with them." This point is certainly worth the attention of teachers. 

 The large number of illustrations gives the book an- attractive appearance, 

 and adds greatly to its value. The work is instructive and suggestive, and 

 is worthy of the attention of those who have to teach nature study. c. j. c. 



. „ ^ ^ ^, , ^, This paper is devoted to the develop- 



Jefirey, E. C. The Development, btructure, 



and Affinities of the Genus Equisetum. ment and Structure of Equisetum, but 



Mem. Bost. Soc. of Nat. Hist. 5: 155-190, also discusses related forms, both liv- 



pl. 26-30, 1899. 



ing and fossil. It is suggested that 

 too much attention has been paid to the first division of the ovum, while the later 

 stages, when differentiation of organs and tissues are in progress, have been 

 comparatively neglected. The following are the important conclusions : In the 

 development of the vascular axis of the young plant, there are two primitive 

 types of axis, one with a single concentric bundle, and the other with the vascular 

 tissue from the outset in the form of a tube. In regard to the general mor- 

 pholog}' of the vascular strands, Mr. Jeffrey returns to the standpoint of Sachs 

 and DeBar}\ The prothallia of Equisetum bear a striking resemblance to 

 the prothallia of certain species of Lycopodium, while the archegonium, being 

 without a basal cell, resembles that of certain isosporous Lycopods. The em- 

 bryos, as far as studied, agree with those of Lycopodia as described by Treub. 

 The reduced leaves and the strobiloid fructification also agree with Lycopods. 

 A study of fossil allies leads to the conclusion that Lycopodiales and Equisetales 

 are closely allied, and that the Sphenophyllales must be included with the 

 Equisetales as an additional order. Twenty-four of the illustrations are from 

 photomicrographs. c. j. c. 



Snow, Julia W. PseudoPleurococcus, Nov- The question of polymorphism in the 



sen. Ann. Bot. 13: iSq-iq!;, pi. 11, iSqq. -ni u j 



^ y- VD' p ' vv genus Pluerococcus has some new and 



valuable light thrown upon it by Dr. Julia W. Snow, in an article appearing in 



the A?innls of Botany for June. This writer uses pure cultures, after the 



manner of Klebs, and the nutrient solution of Knop in divers concentrations, 



with and without a thickening of agar. The external characteristics of many 



Algae may be changed by var}-ing the nutrient medium, but although she has 



kept pure cultures of a number of forms growing for many months at a time, 



the writer has never been able in this way to produce any change in the 



infernal characteristics. These, according to all her observations, remain quite 



constant, no matter how the external form of the plant may be altered by 



