1904] CURRENT LITERATURE 307 
Hesperaloe parviflora, Nolina texana, Ariocarpus fisswratus, and Euphorbia 
antisyphilitica. The stomatal apparatus, in particular, was found to exhibit 
marked xerophytic peculiarities. In Ariocarpus there are a number of projec- 
tions of the cuticular layer into the pit just above the stoma, which virtually makes 
a series of chambers of the pit—H. C. Cow gs. © 
Cannon's has concluded from anatomical evidence that the two species of 
mistleto (Phoradendron villosum and P. californicum) occurring in the vicinity 
of esert Botanical Laboratory (Tucson, Arizona) do not penetrate their 
hosts by means of solvents secreted by the haustoria; but “the points of admission 
are determined solely by the character of the host-substratum, whether its cells are 
loosely put together, as in the lenticels of the cottonwood, or the place where the 
parasite seeks admission has cellulose cell-walls.”—J. M. C. 
STAPF'4 has published an account of his studies of the fruit of Melocanna, 
which is peculiar among grasses in being very large and having a fleshy pericarp. 
The three species are restricted to India, and the fleshy character of fruit or seed 
is shared with Melocalamus and Ochlandra. Endosperm is developed only as 
a delicate parietal tissue, which is soon resorbed by the much enlarging scutellum, 
ood reserve in the mature fruit being in the fleshy pericarp and the scutellum. 
Additional facts of interest are that the ovule develops no integuments and that 
Yipary is an established habit —J. M. C. 
Miss RosErtson"s has studied material of Torreya californica from plants 
cultivated in Great Britain. The microsporangia pass the winter in the mother- 
cell stage, and the tetrads are formed early in April. No prothallial cell was 
observed, and during the latter half of May the division resulting in the generative 
and tube nuclei occurred. Primordia of ovules were observed December 1, and 
vir April pollination took place. The megaspore mother-cell was not dis- 
unguished until late in May, and a month later the reduction division occurred, 
a linear tetrad being formed. Material did not permit following the develop- 
ment of the female gametophyte and embryo.—J. M. C. 
" Sd has been studying the roots of our terrestrial orchids. He finds that 
. us rhizome is provided only with slender roots, while species with slender 
i iex: m Possess tuberous roots. ‘The subject is treated under three wipe 
aes Slender, with the leptome and hadrome located in one central cylinder; 
" eet Hat Toots tuberous; (3) roots tuberous, with several cylinders of lep- 
: - 
fe a. W. A., Observations on the germination of Phoradendron villosum 
f tjornicum. Bull. Torr. Bot. Club 31: 435-443. 1904. 
4 
i ‘Sth Otto, On the fruit of M elocanna bambusoides Trin., an endospermless, 
us genus of Bambuseae. Trans. Linn. Soc. London II. Bot. 6:401-425- 
bls. $5-, 
5-4. 1904 ; 
5 ~ 
3:1 Ronertson, AGNES, Spore formation in Torreya californica. New Phytol. 
33-148. pls, 3-4. 1904. 
A 2 Hou, THEO., The root-structure of North American terrestrial Orchideae. 
- Sci. IV. 18: 197-212. 1904 
