GURREN LITERATURE. 
BOOK REVIEWS. 
Goebel’s Organography.* 
THE second volume of this notable work has appeared recently. It deals 
with the gametophyte and sporophyte of pteridophytes, and with the sporo- 
phyte of spermatophytes. The gametophyte of the pteridophytes is discussed 
under two heads, namely, (1) structure and development of the sex organs, 
and (2) the form of the prothallia. In discussing the development of anthe- 
ridia the author advances views which are at variance not only with those of 
Belajeff and others, but also with his own previous accounts. In Isoetes, after 
the cutting off of the small cell which Belajeff has called the rhizoidal cell, 
two oblique walls divide the main body of the spore into two flat cells anda 
larger cell which is triangular in optical section. This last cell alone the 
author regards as the antheridium initial. It divides by a periclinal wall into 
an outer cover cell, and an inner cell, the latter of which by further division 
gives rise to four cells in each of which a spermatozoid is organized. Accord- 
ing to this interpretation there is within the spore wall a prothallium consist- 
ing of three sterile cells and one antheridium, and only the cover cell can be 
regarded as belonging to the antheridium wall. 
In presenting the development of both the antheridia and the archegonia 
the transition from free to imbedded organs is described in some detail. The 
prothallia of Ophioglossum, Botrychium, aud Lycopodium receive particular 
attention on account of their biological importance. The vegetative multipli- 
cation of prothallia is another interesting subject which is somewhat fully 
treated. 
In the second part of the book, which is devoted to the sporophyte of 
pteridophytes and spermatophytes, the various organs are discussed in great 
detail. The account of the embryo is particularly helpful. Among other 
interesting subjects are the transition between leaf and shoot, leaf formation 
the relation between venation and leaf devolopment, transformed leaves, 
branching, etc. 
The treatment throughout is dominated by what may be called experi- 
mental morphology, and the book cannot fail to have a good influence in 
*GOEBEL, K.: Organographie der Pflanzen insbesondere der Archegoniaten und 
Samenpflanzen. Zweiter Teil. Specielle Organographie. 2 Heft: Pteridophytem 
und Samenpflanzen. Erster Teil. 8vo., pp. xiii-xvi+ 385-648. 173 illustrations- 
Jena: Gustav Fischer. 1900. M47. 
204 [MARCH 

