302 EECORD OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



The three remaining nuclei are the "antipodal cells" of authors. 

 The writer confirms these views, except that the actual blending of the 

 two nuclei has not been seen ; in Ranunculus, Anthericum, and other 

 plants, however, the evidence is sufficient to render this view most 

 likely, since two nuclei in all stages of approach occur, as well as sacs 

 with one large central nucleus. 



The fertilized ovum divides by a horizontal wall into two similar 

 cells, the upper one becomes the suspensor, and divides by cross walls 

 only, the lower is cut by walls in alternating planes at right angles 

 to one another into a few-celled simple embryo, showing no differen- 

 tiation into tissues, or into cotyledons, stem, root, &c. Brief reference 

 was made to the proposed homologies for these structures in the 

 embryo-sac, and especially to the reasons against accepting the older 

 views as to the correspondence between the synergidse and the canal- 

 cells of the archegonium of vascular cryptogams. 



Confirmatory results have also been obtained in Butomus, Banun- 

 culus, Alisma, Anthericum, and other plants. The views of Vesque do 

 not appear to be supported by these researches, and those of Warming 

 appear to involve considerable difficulties as to the meaning of the 

 embryo-sac nucleus. 



Embryonic Structure and Germination of Streptocarpus.* — 

 Dr. T. Hielscher describes the singular structure of the embryo of 

 Streptocarpus {polyanthus) belonging to the Gesneraceae. It is sur- 

 rounded by a testa composed of several layers, derived partly from the 

 integuments and partly from the nucleus, is destitute of endosperm, 

 dicotyledonous, but possesses neither radicle nor plumule. After 

 germination a number of endogenous adventitious roots break out at 

 the base of the primary stem. Of the two cotyledons one shortly dies, 

 while the other increases remarkably in size, and lasts for several 

 years as an ordinary leaf. On the pedicel of this single leaf, the 

 tissues of the base of which long continue in a merismatic condition, 

 arise numerous adventitious roots, while the primary stem and the 

 roots which have appeared on it disappear, and the pedicel is then cut 

 off by a layer of cork. Starch collects in the tissue of the pedicel. 

 In the second year the cymose racemes appear in acropetal succession 

 as adventitious shoots on the upper side of the base of the pedicel, a 

 series of foliage-shoots making their appearance also on the pedicel 

 at the same time or somewhat later. These shoots originate as meris- 

 matic protuberances above the base of the pedicel, their vascular 

 bxmdles being in connection with that of the cotyledon. 



Phyllody of the Ovules of Hesperis matronalis.f — The flowers 

 of Cruciferee are especially liable to phyllody of one or more of their 

 parts, many instances of which have been described. To these 

 L. Celakovsky adds one more with regard to the ovules. Each ovule 

 is, as is usually the case, transformed by retrograde metamorphosis 

 into a serrato-lobed leaflet of a deeper green colour on the upper than 

 on the under side, and they stand very crowded on the placenta. 



* ' Beitr. Biol. Pflanz.' (Cohn), iii. (1879) p. 1. 

 t ' Flora,' Ixii. (1879) p. 465. 



