234 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [SEPTEMBER 
from one another or more or less intimately associated and perhaps wholly fused, 
depending upon how far the processes of mitosis have progressed before the cells 
have been subjected to the shock of the experiment. (3) Binucleate cells may 
continue their growth with subsequent mitoses, which when treated as before 
may give daughter cells with three and one nuclei respectively, or with two each 
or indeed a cell containing four nuclei. Furthermore, these nuclei may fuse with 
one another to give structures with a greatly increased chromatin content. (4) In 
place of the non-nucleated cells, there may be formed chambers containing 
cytoplasm and chromatophores, but without nuclei, which remain in open com- 
munication with the nucleated companion protoplast, because the cell wall is not 
formed entirely across the mother cell. 
GERASSIMOW presents the results of his observations on these various types 
of cells in many elaborate tables and diagrams, with the following chief conclu- 
sions. (1) Cells which come to contain unusually large nuclei through the sup- 
pression of mitosis, or by the reuniting of partially divided nuclei, increase pro- 
portionally in size and their further cell division is postponed. The nuclei of 
such cells have of course the peculiarity of an increased amount of chromatin 
content. The large nuclei may later fragment into two or more structures which 
separate and may come to be at a distance from one another in the cytoplasm. 
The fragments finally lose their powers of reproduction and exhibit marked evi- 
dence of degeneration. (2) Cells which lack nuclei may form starch in the usual 
manner in the presence of light, and exhibit for a short time a weaker general 
growth than normal nucleated cells. The power to develop a gelatinous sheath 
also becomes markedly weakened. Finally there results a decrease in the volume 
of the cell, a fading of the chromatophore and conditions which lead to eventual 
death. (3) Chambers which lack nuclei but are in protoplasmic union WI 
nucleated cells may be contrasted sharply with the non-nucleated cells. They 
exhibit a much stronger growth for a longer time and with a greater power to 
form starch, although not so marked as in the nucleated cells, and the chromato- 
phores retain their color. There is also a conspicuous development of the gelati- 
nous sheath.—B. M. Davis 
CoRRENS” presents a continuation of his studies on Mirabilis hybrids in 
which he had found*3 red appearing as a new character in hybrids between two 
constant races having respectively white and yellow flowers. Instead of assuming, 
as does TSCHERMAK,"4 that there is a latent allelomorph for red in one or other 
of these races, and that this is rendered active on crossing, he considers the red 
color to be a modification of the yellow produced through the activity of a distinct 
character-unit present in the white-flowered race, the antagonistic characters 19 
"2 CorrENs, C., Zur Kenntniss der scheinbar neuen Merkmale der peat 
Zweite Mittheilung iiber Bastardierungsversuche mit Mirabilis-Sippen- Ber. Dew 
ot. Gesells. 23: 70-85. 1905. 
13 See Bor. Gazette, 372775 1O0d. 
‘4 See Bor. GAZETTE 39: 302 and 303. 1905. 
