276 NATURAL SCIENCE [October 
ment of the vascular bundle from its most rudimentary form to that 
of the fully developed stem is fully known. These are illustrated in 
the work before us. The structure of the stems of Sphenophyllum 
insigne and Sphenophyllum plurifoliatum are given in detail. 
The cones of Sphenophyllum offer an interesting field of study. 
Though the vegetative system of all the species possess many points 
in common, the sporangia in their number and details of attachment 
to the bract, differ considerably in the few species of which we possess 
any concise knowledge. As illustrating these differences in the 
structure of Sphenophyllum cones, several species are described in 
detail under the generic name of Sphenophyllostachys. The tirst, 
Sphenophyllostachys Dawsoni, Will. sp., is almost certainly the cone of 
Sphenophyllum cunerfoliwm, Sternb. sp. In this cone each bract bears 
three sporangia and each sporangium is supported on a slender sporan- 
giophore, but as all the sporangiophores arise from the same point on 
the bract and are placed in sequence, the sporangium most distant from 
the axis of the cone has a much longer sporangiophore than that next 
the axis. In Sphenophyllostachys Roemeri, Solms Laubach sp., the in- 
curved end of each sporangiophore bears two sporangia. There is 
here also, probably, three concentric circles of sporangia. In Spheino- 
phyllum trichomatosum, Stur, each bract seems to have borne a single 
sessile sporangium. It is therefore seen that although in the vegetative 
system, all the Sphenophyllwm possess many common characters, in the 
arrangement of the sporangia, the cones show important differences. 
Mr Seward rejects, and we believe correctly, the idea that Spheno- 
phyllum was an aquatic plant. There is absolutely no evidence in 
support of this view and very much against it. 
Mr Seward’s “ Fossil Plants” is a most successful treatment of a 
difficult subject. All of importance is brought forward and impar- 
tially discussed and numerous references are given to the original 
papers consulted. The work however is not a compilation, but em- 
bodies the opinions of one who has done much good original work in 
Palaeophytology. Such a book has long been a . desideratum, and its 
appearance must give a great stimulus to the study of fossil botany in 
Britain. Mr Seward’s style is clear and concise, and the many pitfalls 
into which beginners are apt to stumble are clearly pointed out. We 
heartily congratulate the author and publishers on the completion 
of the first volume of “ Fossil Plants,” and have only to express the 
hope that ere long the completing volume will be issued. 
A full list of the works referred to in the text is appended and the 
index, a most important matter, is very full. The illustrations are 
also good and well chosen. K. 
Bau uND LEBEN UNSERER WALDBAUME. By Dr M. Biisgen. 8vo, pp. vili+ 280, with 
100 figs. in the text. Fischer, Jena, 1897. Price, 6 marks. 
Dr BUscen has produced a useful introduction to the study of 
forestry, which will, doubtless, find a welcome in the various forestry 
schools on the Continent. Naturally, much of the subject-matter is 
similar to that of the general text-book of botany, embracing the 
principles of the anatomy and physiology of plants. But the woody 
plant is always kept in view, and made to supply the necessary illus- 
