470° BOTANICAL GAZETTE [DECEMBER 
RIMARY PROCESSES SECONDARY PROCESSES 
Anaerobic enzymes (zymase, etc.) Oxygen of the air 
Catalase, reductase Respiratory oxidases 
Products of fermentation Phytohematins 
(alcohol and other substances) 
Products of respiration 
(CO.,, H20) 
To unify the respiration of animals and plants still further, it will be neces- 
sary to show that the oxygen from the air is not combined directly with the hemo- 
chromogen, but by the aid of oxidases; and this the recent discovery of these 
enzymes in the blood renders probable. The behavior of the colorless blood of 
the lower animals and the sap of plants is quite similar, according to this view. 
It is not to be supposed, however, that oxygen does not have other relations 
than to the chromogens; but these are neglected in the above scheme, which may 
be taken as only a partial representation of respiratory processes. In fact the 
more the matter is studied, the more complex and diversified appear the chemical 
changes subsumed by the word respiration.—C. R 
Fungi and hemicelluloses.—In ‘the hope of obtaining some insight into the 
action of fungi on their hosts, ScHELLENBERGS has investigated the behavior 
of a number of species, which can be cultivated on media of known composition, 
in respect to their decomposition of hemicelluloses. ‘Those used were several, 
the products of whose hydrolysis was known. Molinia coerulea among the 
grasses, Lupinus hirsutus among the Leguminosae, Phoenix dactylifera among 
palms, Impatiens Balsamina and Cyclamen europaeum with an amyloid reserve, 
and Ruscus aculeatus among the lilies furnished the hemicelluloses. On hydrol- 
ysis they yield respectively dextrose and xylose, galactose and arabinose, galac- 
tose and mannose, galactose and xylose, mannose and a little arabinose. A 
large number of fungi were tested. To explain their action, which he finds 
strictly specialized and very different from that on true celluloses, SCHELLENBERG 
has to assume the existence of at least four different enzymes, which he calls the 
Molinia, the Lupinus, the date, and the amyloid enzymes. Study of their 
behavior on dead and living plant parts permits similar conclusions. Thus fungi 
may be used to eliminate hemicelluloses from celluloses in unlignified tissues. 
The effect of fungi in the destruction of the plant constituents in the soil is prob- 
ably much more important than has been believed hitherto.—C. R. B. 
Jurassic plants.—SEwarp® has published the results of his study of collec- 
tions of Jurassic plants from Caucasia and Turkestan, sent by the Comité Géo- 
logique de Russie. The Caucasian collection contains representatives of the 
5 SCHELLENBERG, H. C., Untersuchungen iiber das Verhalten einiger Pilze gegen 
Hemizellulosen. F ack 98: 257-308. 1908. 
® Sewarp, A. C., Jurassic plants from Caucasia and Turkestan. Mém. Comité 
Géol. Russie N. Ss. 38: 1-48. pls. I-8. 1907. 
