^9o8] CURRENT LITEKiTURE 



213 



Coffein and theobromin. — In a detailed account 



time 



questions :*5 Dq coffein and 1 

 metabolism of the plant or not ? 

 of proteids, and can thev be us 



arise 



arise 



both 



dissimilation 



time 



storing N, as they contain about 



cent. N as compared with 19 per cent, or less in proteids, and this is doubtless the 

 reason why they occur so abundantly in seeds, though they may have also a pro- 

 tective function.— C. R. B. 



Desert vegetation in South Africa- — The country^ of Wehvitschia has always 

 seemed fascinating to botanical travelers. Its accessibility is not fully realized; 

 not only is it near the coast, but the heart of the desert is traversed by a railroad 

 which has a station named Welwitsch from the abundance of the remarkable 



rm in the resion thereabo 



an 



Journey through a part of German Southwest Africa, in which there is a descrip- 



Xamib plains 



less 



bling the Acacia vegetation farther east. Near Windhuk, the seat of govemmeni 

 there are Acacia park forests, in which Acacia giraffae is the predominatin 

 species,— H. C. CowT^s. 



Root-parasitism, — Barber ^7 has continued his studies of the haustorium 



Santalti 



stages up to penetration 



tissues are first described 



described; while the present paper deals with the mature haustorium. The 

 penetration of the haiistorium, its general structure, and its relation to the host 



Then follow detailed descriptions of the cortex and 

 ^'nucleus," the vascular s}'stem and its connections with the host, the character 

 and development of the "sucker" with its double function of secretion and 

 absorption, cases of irregular penetration, the general activity of the haustorium, 

 and the mterrelations of host and parasite. The numerous plates serve to make 

 the descriptions remarkably clear.— J. M. C. 



Taiwania* — Hayata described this new genus of Coniferales from the Island 



Formosa in 1906 



time 



»5Weevers, Th., Die physiologische Bedeutung des KofFeins und des Theo- 

 bromins. Ann, Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg 2 1 ; 1-7S. 1907. 



»* Pt ARSON, H. H. W., Some notes on a journey from Walfish Bay to Windhuk. 

 Kew BuiL 1907:339-360. 



*7 Barber, C. A., Studies in root-parasitism. The haustorium of SaJ^alum 

 (Mum, 11. Mem. Depart. Agric. India Bot. i:no. i^. pp. 58. pis. ij. igoj. 



*^ Box* G.\ZEXTE 40:159. 1905 and 42:317. 1906. 

 ^Jour. Linn, Soc. Bot. ^2:'izO'XZ2. pi j6. 



