282 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [octonsr 
AT THE COLUMBUS MEETING of the A. A. A.S., H. L. Bolley presented 
Section G a paper by Lawrence Waldron on “ The occurrence of calcium 
oxalate and lignin during the differentiation of the buds of Prunus Ama 
cana.” It was found that the crystals of calcium oxalate occur in quite ser 
prising abundance in the meristematic tissues of the bud, and in the vey 
youngest stages of the scales of the bud; and that the oxalate become 
lessened in proportionate quantity as the tissues develop. Lignification 
the hairs and scales of the bud commences at a very early period of ther 
development. While it is usually assumed that calcium oxalate is a wast 
product of metabolism, its occurrence in such large quantities in the mete 
stematic cells of the bud and scales would seem to indicate a question a 
whether it has not a definite value at this point at this particular time in the 
life history of the plant. 
PROTHALLIA OF LycopopIuM are so rare that the present pape 
although based upon only half a dozen specimens, is a valuable contribution! 
These prothallia resemble those of Botrychium Virgintanum as described by 
Jeffreys. A vertical section shows a limiting layer of colorless cells, above 
which are several cells invested by an endophytic fungus. The cells of the 
upper half of the prothallium are entirely free from the fungus. The anthe- 
ridium is developed from a single superficial cell and at maturity does eo 
project above the surface. The archegonium, also developed from 4 ~ 
superficial cell, projects considerably. There are six or eight canal ¢ 
the lowest presumably a ventral canal cell. ae 
The value of the prothallium as a taxonomic character IS disc 
: ‘um whi 
some length, and the writer concludes that species of Lycopodium 
possess similar prothallia cannot, on that ground alone, be — 
um in form, 
ace 
r ; 
ytic habit— Cuas. | ; 
CHAMBERLAIN. . 
AN EXCEEDINGLY interesting account of the fertilization of _ 
spermum Bohneri by W. Schmidle® has recently appeared. ye agreting 
worked on material gathered in Germany and his reer : : 
with my own studies in respect to the presence and behavior ® : 
Ann. Bot. 19:77 
3 
®Lanc, W. H.: The prothallus of Lycopodium clavatum L. 
317. 1899. rinsertion ™ 
9W.ScHMIDLE : Einiges iiber die Befruchtung, Keimung, und ost 
Batrachospermum. Bot. Zeit. 57':125. 1899. 
ss 
