396 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [NOVEMBER 
They apparently tend to moderate rather than to accelerate transpiration. The 
relations of anthocyanins to parasitic organisms show that anthocyanic cells react 
against the invader by augmenting their osmotic pressure, which is accomplished 
by accumulating in them substances from which ultimately anthocyanins arise. 
Thus the pigments at once indicate and participate in the increased turgescence. 
Study of allogamy leads to the conclusion that floral coloration has not originated 
from the intervention of insects, but that the crowding of foods into the floral 
leaves has led first to the starvation of the chloroplasts, later to their modification, 
and finally to the appearance of the anthocyanic coloration, which became fixed 
by the agency of insects. To hold that allogamy is the primary cause of coloration 
seems to require belief that flowers are not only intelligent, but can voluntarily 
and freely alter their own bodily characteristics with varying external conditions. 
Finally, as the chromatic evolution of flowers is found to be probably polyphyletic, 
the anthocyanins can hardly have arisen from the xanthic pigments or vice versa. 
A new reagent for the anthocyanins—a solution of nicotin—is found to be the most 
reliable. 
This monograph, which the authors call un modesto contributo to the study of 
biological problems, suffers from hypertrophy. A more careful bibliography, 
confined to legitimate references, a compact relation of the discordant results of 
previous investigators, and a condensed presentation of their own work would 
have insured wider attention to an important paper than can be given it in Hs 
present voluminous form by any except special students of plant pigments.—C. R.B. 
THE RECONSTRUCTION of the nucleus and the formation of the chromosomes 
in vegetative mitoses is the title of an important paper by GREGOIRE and 
Wycaerts.?7_ The material studied was the roots of Trillium grandifiorum 
and the homotypic division in the pollen mother-cells of 7. cernuum. The-con- 
clusions in many cases differ decidedly from the commonly accepted views. 
Telophase in root tips. After the chromosomes have reached the poles, 
sees surrounding and bathing the mass of chromosomes the liquid which bs 
constitute the nuclear sap. The liquid increases rapidly and causes the formation 
of the nuclear vacuole and nuclear membrane. On this point t 
in accord with the recent view of LAwson.?* y 
ual process of alveolarization, becomes resolved into a network, meres 
nuclear network is a network of networks. In the resting nucleus within si 
membrane the chromatic network, lying in the nuclear sap, is (with the — 
of the nucleolus) the only constituent. The nuclear membrane forms 18 Ha! ye 
contact with the chromosomes, so that if any cytoplasm is included it is only 
27 GREGOIRE, Victor, and WycaErts, A., La reconstruction du noyau 
tion des chromosomes dans les cinéses somatiques. I. Racines a 
florum et télophase homoeotypique dans le Trillium cernuum. La Cellule 28° 1"! 
pls. I-2. 1903. ¥e 
28 Lawson, A. A., On the relationship of the nuclear membrane to the gs 
plast. Bor. Gaz. 35: 305-319. pl. 15. 1903- 
