230 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [ocr 
erated growth of the “middle zone” which was found by him to characterize the 
haptotropic movements of tendrils could also be demonstrated for photonastic 
and thermonastic movements is entirely fulfilled. Fiscier’s assignment of 
Impatiens parviflora to the group of autonyctitropic plants is ratified. The 
plants best suited for investigation of photonastic movements were found to be 
Impatiens parviflora, I. glanduligera, and Chenopodium album; while Tulipa Duc 
van Toll and Crocus luteus are excellent for study of thermonastic movements 
The conclusions are based upon data obtained by the quantitative methods whia 
characterize the laboratory in which the investigation was made.—Raywonp # 
PonpD 
WS) 8 oe ee Oye. 
A SUGGESTION as to the formation of asparagin is advanced by PRIANISCHE 
KOw’° in a preliminary paper. He argues that as the decomposition of protelds 
tends to produce ammonia on the one hand, and amidoacids (perhaps eves 
aspartic acid) on the other, asparagin may be produced by the formation of amme 
nium aspartate from which a molecule of water separates. This secondary oigit 
of asparagin rather than its origination as a direct decomposition product of pe 
teids he infers from the following facts. ; 
He and others have found that the relative amounts of asparagin and aspalt® 
acid produced in germination and by hydrolysis of proteids are quite unlike, and 
they are the more unlike the later the stage of germination. In late ong 
the rate of asparagin production even surpasses that of proteid decomposition 
_Further it has been found that the decomposition of proteids by proteolytic 
enzymes (such as occur in the germinating seeds) gives rise to the same uate 
acids and bases as hydrolysis with mineral acids, but no asparagin ses 
Finally, the distribution of asparagin in the cotyledons and growing nen 
not such as would occur were it produced for migration out of the stored pres | 
in the cotyledons, since it is much more abundant in the growing parts than | 
the cotyledons.—C. R. B. | 
Gatins" has been investigating the development of the first se oe a 
mination of Archontophoenix Alexandrae and Phoenix canariensts. byputl 
mentioned follows the ‘“‘admotiva” mode of germination in which the nypoct 
scarcely elongates. P. canariensis follows the “remotiva” method, pst att 
elongating for the supposed purpose of burying the young plant. a sis 
embryo of A. Alexandrae possesses a root of which a rudimentary 
only is present. The cortex arises during germination from a 20n€ 
the tip of this axis and forming apparently an integral part of the ascular ass 8 
tissue. The region lying directly in the path of growth of cond wo 
distinguishable into three parts. The innermost, lying ie the adja! 
the end ofjthe axis, forms the root-cap. The next, together w! 
gee sO om wen: ee cs 
Mit 
3° PRIANISCHNIKOW, D., Zur Frage der Asparaginbildung- aaa : 
teilung.) Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesells. 22: 35-43- 1904- «de Ja presi a 
3t Gatin, C. L., Observations sur la germination et la formation - 
racine de quelques palmiers. Rev. Gén. Bot. 16: 1 77-187- : 
figs. # 1904- 5 
