[889. J BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 3»9 



In an extensive paper on the chlorophyll-free humus plants and their 

 biological and anatomical relations (Prings. JahrbUcher, xx.47o) Dr. fried- 

 rich Johow gives first an account of the geographical distribution ot tu- 

 43 phanerogamic genera and 162 species. They are essentially plants of 

 the tropics, 121 species belonging to these regions, about o5 of these oc- 

 curring in tropical America. One is found in antarctic America ; ; abou 

 25 in North America. After giving an account of the habitat, habit and 

 gross anatomy, the anatomical peculiarities are discussed Naturam toe 

 most aberrant organ is the root. On the roots of all holosaprophytrs, 

 with one exception /root-hairs are wanting. The cortex is strongly devel- 

 oped. The central cylinder differs from most roots in the altered group- 

 ing of the xylem and phloem regions, the reduction of the vascular por- 

 tion, or the incomplete differentiation of the procambium elemente. Ihe 

 roots almost without exception are associated with a fungus, producnig 

 the mycorhizaof Frank. The epidermis of the shoot of all holoaapro- 

 phytes, with the exception of Epipogum aphyllum, shows no stomata, and 

 the cortical parenchyma has small intercellular spaces or no ne. 1 he 

 mechanical system of the stem is represented only by a fimpla sclerot ic 



ring outside the vascular bundle. The &r»*<*™™^^ n i* 

 the embryology of the various orders. In all the embryo of toe very 

 small seeds is extremely rudimentary. In one case the endosperm con 

 sists of three cells and the embryo of three ! 



Society 



The Western society 01 waiuraiisio "»«* „"" foroPr ; n ittend- 

 at Madison, Wisconsin, October 23 and 24. There were ^ er ^^^ 

 ance than at the first meeting, but the sessions were of marked intent 



The botanical papers VTW^™"™ ™j^?^k™ih 

 tory facilities for the study of physiology, C. E. "esse}' * " • eenera i 



a beginner in botany; E. A. Birge, ® em ?°^.^?£^ and SS- 

 college courses; C. R Barnes, Recent methods in ^J^^/J^g 

 tology. The President's address was del.vered ^^^\^ti^- 

 on the topic, The method of multiple ™'^P d 5*£^^SibltiSi of the 

 tion, instruction and citizenship. After ^e address an ex ™ {or 



powers and adaptability of the Wright & Newton electr c micr 1 

 the projection of microscopic sections of rocks, ml ? e ™ t 8 i ' P ,a o nt8 the fibro- 

 mata* given in the geological lee taroroom^ Auction of . . . 



magn 



.000 



feet in diameter. Nuclei of the root "P" 1 / amended so as to bring 

 inches in diameter. The constitution was amended so 

 the annual meeting hereafter in November instoado^UctoD 

 University La Fayette, Indiana, was selected as the nex p ^^ 



ing, with Dr. C. E. Bessey as president, and Dr m e nl £ers to the inspec- 

 tary. The afternoon of Thursday was de ^ by me mbers 

 tion of the laboratories and museums ^^.isehes Ce^m 

 Dr. Adam Prazmowski summarizes n tb^JJjg^ ot the L e 

 (ix, 417) his recent results in the study ot u ^ ™ tube rcles are not 



guminos*. The chief points may be , * ited tbna . TQ<){ 



normal structures but are due to the inte " 10 ° bt ined in pure cultures 

 lets with bacteria. These bacteria ma -be od w * ^ 8olut ions to 

 from the young roots and . may * cuU' >atec . ^ q{ ^ 

 thousands of generations. Ihey snowi ' . d , verv voun g it re 



der such cultivation. If the root is ™ l "^^J" 6 T he bacteria pene- 

 mains to the end of its life free from ^Jggfjrf multiply therein 

 trate the cell wall of the root hairs and epidermis, anu 



