100 SUMMABY OP CUERENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



life from the Cryptogams to the Phanerogams. The latter they con- 

 sider to have sprung directly, by imperceptible gradations, from the 

 Heterosporous Vascular Cryptogams. One of these latter, in which 

 the microspores penetrate to a solitary macrospore in order to effect 

 fertilization, and in which the prothallus is inclosed, and germination 

 takes place in situ, is already on the road to become a phanerogam, 

 and a gymnosperm if the macrosporangium is not protected by a 

 modified leaf. In the course of this transformation the authors trace 

 three distinct stages, the Progymnosperms, the Gymnosperms, and 

 the Metagymnosperms. The Progymnosperms occupied an important 

 position in the carboniferous flora ; at the present time they are, to a 

 certain extent, represented by the Cycade^e. 



The authors then discuss the position of various fossil crypto- 

 gamous forms which they place among the Progymnosperms: — 

 Lepidodendron, Sigillaria, with distinct radiating vascular cylinder 

 and exogenous growth, and Calamodendron. 



Fertilization of Goodenia.* — Mr. A. G. Hamilton describes the 

 mode of fertilization in several species of this genus. He regards 

 Goodenia hederacea as exhibiting an elaborate and beautiful series of 

 contrivances for ensuring self-fertilization ; while in G. ovata and 

 other species the very same contrivances have for their object to pre- 

 vent self-fertilization. 



Mr. E. Haviland,f on the contrary, regards all the Australian 

 species of Goodenia as cross-fertilized. He points out that the fact 

 of the stigma being densely covered with pollen from the same flower 

 is not necessarily an evidence of self-fertilization ; since it is often 

 placed there for the convenience of being carried away by insects to 

 other flowers for their fertilization. 



Endosperm of Grasses.^ — Prof. E. Tangl finds that the contents 

 of the aleurone and starch-cells in the endosperm of grasses are in 

 mutual connection by means of very fine threads passing through the 

 cell-walls which are not pitted. At all events in the walls of the 

 aleurone-cells these threads are of protoplasmic nature. In the 

 aleurone cells the primary membrane of the inner and lateral walls, 

 and the cellulose of the thickening mass, must be regarded as reserve- 

 food-material. In germination, the first function of the aleurone 

 layer is to act as a peripheral layer of cells for the conduction of the 

 ferment-substances separated from the scutellum. In the later stages 

 of germination the reserve-materials present in the aleurone are 

 absorbed along with the soluble products from the amylaceous portion 

 of the endosperm, through the epithelium on the dorsal surface of 

 the scutellum. 



Distribution of Reserve-material of Plants in Relation to 

 Disease. § — Prof. D. P. Penhallow draws the following results from 

 several thousand experiments made on a great variety of trees : — 



* Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, x. (1885) pp. 157-61 (1 pi.). 

 t Ibid., pp. 237-40. 



t SB. K. Akad. Wiss. Wien, July 2, 1885. See Bot. Centralbl., xxiii. (1885) 

 p. 169. § Canadian Kecord of Science, i. (1885) pp. 193-202. 



