; 



1902] CURRENT LITERATURE- 235 



F. Pechoutre'° has made an extended study of the development of the 

 ovule and seed of the Rosaceae, He describes in detail the formation of the 

 ovular protuberance and the integuments. He finds remarkable uniformity 

 in the development of the sporogenous tissue, a large number of species, repre- 

 senting all regions of the family, showing the many-celled archesporium and 

 general characters of the classic Rosa livida. The early stages in the 

 development of the embryo were studied in numerous forms, special stress 

 being laid upon the various phases of the suspensor. All gradations are 

 shown from the small, more or less elongated filamentous form to the short 

 and compact massive type. — J. M. C. 



In Lteferung 213 of Engler and PrantVs Natiirlichen Pflanzenfamilien, 

 Potonid discusses the Cycadofilices. He notes that this alliance, originally 

 set up in his Pflanzenpalaeo7itologie (1898), has been adopted by Dr. Scott in 

 his Studies in Fossil Bota7iy, and by Mr. Seward in the arrangement of the 

 vegetable fossils in the British Museum. Anatomical characteristics make it 

 very probable that the forms included under the heading Cycadofilices are 

 intermediate between the ferns and gymnosperms, although practically noth- 

 ing is yet known of their reproductive organs. The illustrations, where they 

 are not original, are largely reproductions of the admirably clear figures in 

 Dr. Scott's recent text-book of palaeobotany. — E. C. Jeffrey. 



M. L. LuTz " show^s by cultures that certain algae and fungi are able to 

 absorb and apparently to assimilate amides without first breaking thern down 

 mto ammonium salts. His experiments were performed upon Pleurococcus 

 viiniahis and Raphidiion polymorphui?i for algae, and upon Pencillittm glau- 

 cum for fungi. A number of amides were tested. The results are in general 

 in accord with those of Czapek ^^ in the same field, a fact to which the author 

 calls attention in a note. The only point of disagreement between the two 

 series of cultures independently made by these two authors is in regard to the 

 effect of butyramide upon Aspergillus. Czapek failed to obtain growth in 

 this substance ; while Lutz records an excellent development therein. — B. E. 



Livingston. 



The effect of dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxid upon the develop- 

 ment of plankton has been investigated by Whipple and Parker. ^3 The phys- 



^"^ Contribution a Tetude du developpement I'ovule et de la graine des Rosacees. 

 Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. VIII. 16: 1-15S. figs. r66. 1902. 



" Recherches sur la nutrition des Thallophytes a Taide des amides. Bull. Soc 

 Bot. France 48 : 325-334. 1902. 



'*Zur Kenntniss der Stickstoffversorgung und Eiweissbildung bei Aspergillus 



ntger. Ber, Deut. Bot. Gesells. 130-139. 1901. Also, Untersuchungen iiber die 



Stickstoffgeweimung und Eiweissbildung der Pflanzen. Hofmeister's Beitrage i :538- 

 560. 1902. 



'3 Whipple, G. C. and Parker, H. N., On the amount of oxygen and carbonic 

 acid dissolved in natural waters and the effect of these gases upon the occurrence of 

 microscopic organisms. Trans. Amer. Micr. Soc. 23 : 103-144. pis. ig-22. 190I. 



