292 THE KATUHAL histohy keview. 



is about four inches, in them the spike is usually very much short- 

 ened and most of the flowers abortive, but in others the spike has 

 the usual form, and many of the flowers produce apparently per- 

 fect seeds. From the axil of some of these enlarged tracts there 

 grows a peduncle supporting a spike which is nearer the natural 

 structure as to length, size of bracts, and development of flowers. 

 3. Trifolium hyhridum. This plant sometimes shows complete trans- 

 formation of its ovary into a leaf resembling in miniature the ordi- 

 nary leaves of the plant. Sometimes the change is incomplete, the 

 leaf remaining conduplicate with edges partially adherent near the 

 apex, with a gradual prolongation resembling styles and stigma. 



4. " Descriptions of some new and remarkable species of Aristo- 

 locTiia from Western Tropical Africa." By J. D. Hooker, M.D., 

 r.E.S., y.P.L.S., &c. — This paper contains descriptions of three neAV 

 species of Aristolochia, called by the author A. Goldiana, A. triactina 

 and A, Mannii. The first of these is remarkable from the number 

 of its stamens which amounts to about 24, and the number of styles 

 which is about 12, each being bifid. 



5. " The Diatomaceae of Otago, New Zealand," by W. Lauder 

 Lindsay, M.D., F.E.S., Edin., &c. — This is a short Hst of Otago 

 Diatoms, containing 110 species, 30 genera, and 12 families. It in- 

 cludes only three new species, called respectively Cymbella Lindsay ana, 

 Grev., Stauroneis scapuliformis, Grev., and >S'. rotundata, Grev. The 

 collection was made in 1861 in the Green-island district of Otago, 

 round the station of Fairfield, Saddlehill. It is confined to fresh- 

 water forms. 



6. " Note of Observations and Experiments on Germination," by 

 G. Dickie, M.D., F.L.S. — Dr. Dickie's attention having been drawn 

 to Dr. Hooker's observations on the singular phenomena of the 

 apparent persistence of the cotyledons in Welwitschia, and to Mr. 

 Crocker's no less curious observations on the mode of germination in 

 some species of Streptocarpus, he was induced to experiment upon 

 germinating seeds, with the view^ of testing the nature of the primary 

 axis, and the physiological value of the cotyledonary leaves, as organs 

 of nutrition, &c. His results are very curious. In one species of 

 Streptocarpus he found that the cotyledons, w^hich were at first 

 opposite and equal, became alternate, the lower decaying, and the 

 upper being persistent, — he attributes this to the development of 

 an internode between the two cotyledons. This leads him to the 

 consideration of the descending axis, which has been regarded as 



