392 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [NOVEMBER 
on account of the increase in a nuclein-like material. After the digestion of the 
fungus the nuclei of the host cells resume their normal appearance. The increase 
and subsequent decrease in the nuclein-like material indicates that the nucleus 
takes part in the formation of enzymes. The amitotic division is not an indica- 
tion of degeneration, but is rather a means of increasing more rapidly the nuclear 
material. After the fungus has been digested, mitotic division is often seen in the 
multinucleate cells, showing that nuclei after dividing amitotically may again divide 
by mitosis. The number and arrangement of the chromosomes does not seem to 
be affected by the previous amitotic division. In Psilotum the cells containing the 
fungus can be distinguished as host cells and digesting cells. The nuclear change 
consists chiefly in a great increase in the chromatin. The formation of transverse 
walls in the intracellular hyphae is almost entirely suppressed. In Alnus the 
ungus is not a true hyphomycete. A plasmatic body appears in the nucleus of 
the infected cell, and within the body are numerous droplets which disappear 
after digestion of the fungus has been completed. The fungus in Myrica belongs 
to the genus Actinomyces, the first instance of actinomycosis recorded. 
In all the mycorhizas studied the cytological changes are intimately connected 
with the intracellular digestion of the fungus substance. The presence of a typ! 
digestive fluid was established in all cases. The mode of nutrition of the endo- 
trophic fungus is still an open question.—CHARLES J. CHAMBERLAIN. 
AMAR ?3 has recorded data obtained from histological and physiological study 
of the réle of calcium oxalate in plant nutrition. As a general rule the root con- 
tains few if any crystals, and they become less numerous as one follows the 
course of foods from the leaf blade to the root. Crystal formation in the leaf “ 
localized chiefly in tissues adjacent to those concerned with photosynthesis and 
conduction. The crystals represent excreted waste and not reserve products 
storage. Amar seeks to relate the formation of oxalate crystals to physiological 
conditions resulting from the chemical composition of the nourishment absorbed, 
but in the opinion of the reviewer he does not present conyincing evidence. He 
found that each species has a minimum requirement for Ca, up to which cry 
do not form, and above which they form in proportion as the Ca exceeds the 
minimum requirement. Since crystals do not form in seedlings grow? without 
any calcium, the author attributes the retarded growth in such cases to deficiency 
of this element, and concludes that the crystals form under natural conditions 
to reduce the excess of calcium rather than to remove oxalic acid from ca 
The justification for this conclusion is not apparent, because the ae a. 
tried does not exclude the presence of oxalic acid as a possible factor a ‘ 
opinion of the reviewer an important fact has been overlooked, namely 
molecule of oxalic acid consisting of just two carboxyl groups requires i oR 
addition of one atom of oxygen for complete oxidation to carbon dioxid - x 
For this reason an abnormal excretion of oxalic acid in animal metabolism 
: ‘la nutrition des” 
23 AMAR, Maxnwe, Sur le réle de Voxalate de calcium dans ‘la nul 
végétaux. Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. VIII. 19: 197-292. figs. 34- 1904- 
