380 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [November 



a spiral like those produced by similar treatment in the hypocotyls of grass 

 seedlings. — B. E. Livingston. 



The almost hopelessly complex chemical changes which are con- 

 stantly taking place during the life of the organism are gradually beginning 

 to yield to modern methods of experimentation. Recently two papers have 

 appeared on the transformations occurring in phosphorus compounds during 

 germination, one by Iwanow", the other by Zaleski". 



The former used seedlings of Vicia saliva grown in phosphorus-free 

 Knop's solution, and determined the amounts of the various phosphorus com- 

 pounds at the beginning of the cultures and after 5, 10, 15, 20, and 29 days. 

 Determination was made (i) of total phosphorus content, (2) of inorganic 

 phosphorus, (3) of the phosphorus or lecethin, (4) of the phosphorus of pro- 

 teid compounds, and (5) of that of soluble organic compounds. Zaleski used 

 seedlings of Ltipinns angiistifolius ^ grown in phosphorus-free sand, and 

 determined the phosphorus (in the same categories of compounds as those 

 determined by Iwanow) at the beginning of the cultures and after 10, 15, and 

 25 days. Both authors find that during germination inorganic phosphates 

 increase at the expense of organic phosphorus compounds. Iwanow presents 

 evidence that most of this phosphorus comes from the breaking down of 

 phosphorus-containing proteids ; some is from the soluble organic bodies 

 bearing phosphorus, and a very little arises from the decomposition of lecethin, 

 Zaleski determined that the decrease in organic phosphorus is mainly in the 

 cotyledons, while the most marked increase in inorganic phosphorus is in the 

 axial organs. He shows also that young and vigorous tips of seedlings of 

 Vicia faba, placed in glucose solution, exhibit a less marked decrease in 

 organic phosphorus compounds, as well as less rapid growth, than when these 

 are placed in water. He concludes that the sugar retards both growth 

 and the process of phosphorus-transformation, and that therefore it is possible 

 to suppose a direct relation to exist between the breaking down of organic 

 phosphorus-containing bodies and growth itself. — B. E, Livingston. 



BURKILL'3 has investigated the variation in the floral organs of Ranun- 

 culus arvensis. From a study of about 7,000 flowers, from seed obtained at 

 Kew, England, and at Bonn and Heidelberg, Germany, he reaches essentially 

 the following conclusions : Each set of floral organs varies according to a 

 law of its own, and none of the curves agrees perfectly with any theoretical 

 probability curve. Although the different whorls respond differently to con- 

 ditions of favorable or unfavorable nutrition, there is always an apportionment 



*' Iwanow, L., Ueber die Urawandlungen des Phosphors beim Keimen der Wicke. 

 Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesell. 20: 366-372, 1902. 



"Zaleski, W., Beitrage zur Verwandlung des Eiweiss phosphors in den Pflanzen. 

 Ber Deutsch. Bot. Gesell. 20 : 426-433. 1902. 



'3BURKILL, I. H., On the variation of the flower of Ranunculus arvensis. Jour. 

 Asiatic Soc. Bengal 71:93-120. 1902. 



