1913] CURRENT LITERATURE 347 
the parasite. These storage materials are the same as those found in other parts 
of the plants except that they have a much higher concentration. 
SWANTON® describes a mite gall on Geranium lucidum caused by Eriophyes 
geranii canestrini. This gall does not occur on other species of Geranium on the 
British Islands, but does occur on three other species on the continent. £. rubiae 
Can. attacks the apical leaves of Rubia peregrina, causing them to appear as 
fl 
the American literature we note a new species by CocKERELL” under the 
name of Cecidomyia peritomatis. This is especially interesting because of the 
very few galls known on Capparidaceae. 
A very interesting paper by WHITE* on the bearing of teratological develop- 
ment in Nicotiana on the theories of heredity begins with a brief review of our 
knowledge of teratology. The mutant of Nicotiana tabacum was obtained from 
Alquiza, Cuba, in 1907. The malformation consisted of a flattened stem accom- 
panied by many smaller teratological features, especially in the flowers. Five 
generations, involving more than 1000 plants, have been grown, each individu 
showing the original mutant characters which are shown in tables. The results 
of his experimental work are summarized as follows: ‘From the results of 
hybridization and selection, one may draw the conclusion that the fasciated 
mutant differed from the normal parent strain by only one factor, and that it 
represents a mutation upon the variability of which selection has no modifying 
effect. The character appears to be due to the one underlying cause, and its 
variableness is only the external manifestation of the capricious working of that 
cause.” The author also gives a very interesting and suggestive discussion of 
the cytology of the mutant and the normal, which he concludes by saying that 
“the evidence warrants one in the suggestion that chromosomes are characters 
of the ~— oe pe as on the same development with other plant 
characters.’ L. T. Coo 
Araucarineae.—THomson™ has made a detailed study of the anatomy of 
the araucarians, and has reached certain conclusions in reference to the affinities 
of this much discussed group. He has taken into account leaf gaps, leaves, 
pitting of secondary tracheids (including bars of Sanio), resin tissue, medullary 
rays, bast and periderm, annual ring and tangential pitting, and fossil forms. 
The recent discussion concerning the origin of the araucarians has presented 

* Swanton, E. W., New and rare British plant galls. Jour. Botany 59: 283, 284. 
Igr2, 
RELL, T. D. A., A new gall on Peritoma serrulatum. Jour. Econ. 
Entomol. “on 280. 1913. 
%* WuitE, O. E., The bearing of teratological development in Nicotiana on the 
theories of heredity. Amer. Nat. 47: 206-228. 191 
“4 THoMsoNn, RoBERT Boyp, On the comparative anatomy and affinities of the 
Araucarineae. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London B 204:1-50. pls. 1-7. 1913- 
