1908] CURRENT LITERATURE 319 
more or less rounded pits preceded the transversely elongated pits of the scalari- 
form type in the Filicales—J. M. C. 
Origin of Sphenophyllales.—In 1903 LicNTER?S published his view that the 
Equisetales and Sphenophyllales are of filicinean origin. Recently this disposi- 
tion of the Sphenophyllales has been opposed, especially by Scott, and by the 
anatomical work of Miss SYKES. LIGNIER has now resumed the discussion?® and 
reaffirms his former position, with additional argument. He claims that the 
“fertile leaves” of Sphenophyllum cannot be homologized with the sporangif- 
erous structures of Tmesipteris; but that their ‘‘sterile pinnules” are compar- 
able with those Archaeopteris. The “fertile pinnules,” at the same time, are 
of the same type as those of the Primofilices. Therefore, LIGNIER concludes 
that the Sphenophyllales ought to be ‘‘attached” to the Primofilices and not to 
the Lycopodiales. A number of secondary characters also are used to strengthen 
this view.—J. M. C. 
Sieve tubes.—An elaborate histological investigation of the details of develop- 
ment in sieve tubes of angiosperms’ has been made by Hixz.?7 It appears that 
the young cell wall which is to form a sieve plate, is at first pitted, the pit-floor 
being penetrated by one or a group of fine protoplasmic threads, which, after 
some change of the adjacent cell wall, ‘‘begin to be bored out to form slime 
strings, apparently by a ferment.” These slime strings enlarge and merge, $0 that 
finally one large slime string occupies the place of the group. This is always 
. in a protoplasmic tube, which lines each pore of the plate, and the 
Pore itself has a callus lining covering the cellulose part of the wall. Many 
further details are given and the usual teleological causes assigned for the pro- 
cesses. The paper contains an excellent historical summary.—C. R. B. 
Hygroscopic movements.—STEINBRINCK and ScHINz, by studies on some desert 
Plants, support further the view that the internal structure of the thickened walls, 
4s well as differences in the tissues, are the cause of the warping movements of 
fruits and other parts.*® They find that lignified walls really swell and shrink 
bending organ. Incidentally they establish the “true” Jericho rose as Anastatica 
stray L., and not Odontospermum pygmaeum (DC.) Benth. & Hook.— 
-R.B, 
Sa : 
*S Licnrer, O., Equisétales et Sphenophyllales. Leur origine epeen 
mune. Bull. Sci. Linn. Normandie V. 7293- 1903- | 
i. *6 Licnier, O., Sur Vorigine des Sphénophyllées. Bull. Soc. Bot. dongs 
*278-288. 1908. 
*7 Hitt, A. W., The histology of the sieve tubes of angiosperms. 
Botany 22:245-290. pls. 17, 18. figs. 13. 1908. 
= STEINBRINCK, C., and Scutyz, H., Ueber die anatomische Ursache der hygro- 
en Bewegungen der sog. Jérichorosen und einiger anderer Wiistenpflanzen. 
908 
Annals of 
ra 98:47 I-500, 1 
