Dr. Meyen’s Researches in Physiological Botany. 143 
i II. Ill. IV. 
eis wasitivens 44'S. svsves D5: LE PE F G2E s cieses 68°53 
iy ear ee eae O'R seeyes Gt cede oe eee 7°04 
DP Gesswcdss ADO. Sencac 40" ieceres B'S covers SH SO 
By the action of concentrated sulphuric acid the primitive 
membrane was converted into dextrin and sugar, and in this 
manner the sclérogéne was separated. 
Finally, M. Payen has published a treatise on the different 
states of aggregation of vegetable tissues*. ‘The substance 
which forms the cellular membrane is said to be in a pure state, 
but in a less firm state of aggregation, in starch. He has ex- 
amined the membranes of several of the lower plants, which 
are nearly allied to the above-mentioned substance in their 
chemical and physical properties. The first comes to the con- 
sideration of the appearance of starch in lichens, and arrives 
at the same results as have already been made known in a 
former Report, viz. that the cellular membranes of lichens are 
coloured blue by iodine, and that in such plants it is these 
which dissolve to a jelly. On this occasion M. Payen remarks 
that he has analysed the spiral vessels of Musa, and has 
found their composition similar to that of other membranes ft. 
Moreover he analysed the purified membranes of the threads 
of Rivularia which support the spores, and found it of the 
same constitution as starch. In the same way the tissue of 
mushrooms was analysed, after careful purification, and found 
to be a substance isomeric with the membranes of other plants; 
the same was found with the membrane of Chara. Finally, 
M. Payen directs attention to the fact, that the vegetable cel- 
lular membrane is only a ternary compound, while the qua- 
ternary organic compounds are found among the animal tis- 
sues; and although many parts of plants abound in nitrogen, 
still this body is only found in the contents of the cells. 
M. Payen has also made known his views concerning the 
Nutrition of plantst. The cambium appears at first as a gra- 
nular contractile substance, containing nitrogen. ‘This sub- 
* “ Mémoire sur les états différens d’aggrégation du tissu des Végétaux.”’ 
—Comptes Rendus de 26 Aoiit, 1839, p. 296. 
+ “ An ultimate analysis of the spiral fibres of Musa paradisiaca was made 
in the year 1838, by Prof. Mitscherlich and myself, (vide Meyen’s Pflanzen 
Physiologie, ii. p. 551, and English translation of Meyen’s Report for 1837, 
p- 26) which, however, gave quite a different result: microscopical observa- 
tions show that these spiral fibres may be compared with the secondary cel- 
lular membranes, and therefore they must have a similar composition to 
that of Payen’s sclérogéne, if indeed his apparently so correct analyses may 
be fully trusted.” —Meyen. 
t % Mémoire sur la nutrition des Plantes.”—-Comptes Rendus, de 21 Oct. 
p- 509. 
