

266 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [ APRI 



nyms under each. The author briefly notes the macroscopic apj tr- 

 ance of the fruit, then gives short histological descriptions of the st I. 

 According to his division the spermoderm has five layers. Some of 

 the details of structure of the outer lavers, and nearlv all of the inner 

 ones, are omitted. 



Vogl 8 devotes but a single paragraph to a microscopical descrip 

 tion of Cucurbitae. 



* 



Braemer^ in 1893 studied the stem, leaf, pericarp, and seed of 

 Bryonia dioica Jacq., Ecballlum Elaterium Rich., and Citndhis 

 Colocynthis Schrad., but confined his attention chiefly to a micro- 

 chemical investigation of the contents of the sieve tubes and latex 

 tubes, both of which he regards as latex tubes, accepting the 

 descriptions of the tissues given by earlier writers. According to 

 his introduction, the pericarp has an outer and inner epidermis with 

 a sarcocarp between. Within the spermoderm, having hard and 

 lignified layers, are inclosed an embryo, reduced to a small radio* 

 and two cotyledons, rich in oil and aleurone grains, and the remain* 

 of the perisperm and endosperm. 



The main part of the paper is devoted to the long, ramifying 

 straight or sinuous tubes containing a yellow semi-fluid, finely granu- 

 lar, refractive substance which entirely fills the cavity. Both lateral 

 and cross walls are composed of cellulose without any indications 

 sieve or callus plates. In their morphological and chemical char- 

 acters they resemble the latex tubes of Convolvulaceae and Camparw- 

 laceae, and the isolated sieve tubes of Fischer. In these » 

 Braemer found the three "active principles" bryonin, colocynt.m. 



and elaterin. ■ 



Planthon and Collin 10 treat the species used as drugs. 

 scopic and microscopic sections are figured, but no hi 



Macro- 

 tological 



m 



details are given, of the fruits and seeds of Cucurbita ftp ^ 

 Citrullus Colocynthis Schrad., Cucumis sativus L., Ecbalh"> n 

 Hum Rich., and Fevileae. , sicve 



Villiers and Collin" use the bicollateral bundles an > 



Pharmakognosie 196. Wien. 1892. lgg ,. 



° De la localisation des principes actifs des Cucurbitacees. Toulouse. 



10 I-es drogues simples d'origine vegetale 2:292. Paris. 1896. p a: 



11 Traite des alterations et falsifications des substances alimentaires 



1 900. 



