106 SUMMARY OF CUERENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



identify with Saccharomyces ellipsoideus Eees, and Bacterium Termo, 

 the latter, however, appearing to be connected with the decay of 

 the tissue rather than with the fermentation of the sap. These 

 organisms appear to enter the plant through the stomata. 



Gum-ferment, a new diastatic Enzyma.* — According to Prof. 

 J. Wiesner, the transformation of cellulose into gum or mucilage is the 

 result of tlie action of a diastatic ferment. It is distinguished from 

 other diastatic ferments in being able to transform starch into dextrin, 

 but not into any copper-reducing sugar. Gum-ferment is known by 

 a very characteristic and sensitive reaction ; orcin and hydrochloric 

 acid produce, after boiling for a short time, a red, and then a violet 

 colour, with separation of a blue precipitate. It can be shown by 

 this reaction that the gum-ferment arises in the protoplasm, passes 

 into the cell-walls, and then brings about the transformation of 

 cellulose into gum or mucilage. It appears to have the power of 

 preventing the formation of sugar. It occurs in gum-arabic, the gum 

 of the Drupaceae and Pomacese, and in other kinds. Herr Wiesner 

 has not been able to obtain the ferment in a pure condition. 



Haberlandt's ' Physiological Anatomy of Plants.'! — This ex- 

 haustive work of Professor G. Haberlandt divides the subject treated 

 into nine sections. The 1st section treats of the Cell ; the 2nd, of 

 the formation of Tissues ; and the 3rd, of the Tegumentary system, 

 including the Epidermis. The 4th, 5th, and 6th sections are devoted 

 to the Mechanical and Absorptive systems, and the 7th to the Assi- 

 milative. In the 8 th section, treating of the Vascular Bundles, a 

 special terminology is adopted, the whole bundle being called the 

 Mestom, the xylem the Hadrom, and the phloem the LejDtom. The 

 fibrous tissue or Stereom consists chiefly of lignified prosenchymatous 

 cells, the Stereides. The 9th section treats of the Intercellular space 

 system. 



B. CRYPTOGAMIA. 



Cryptogamia Vascularia. 



Development of the Prothallia of Ferns. I — Mr. D. H.Campbell 

 finds that spores of many ferns germinate much more easily than is 

 generally supposed, if sown on fine moist soil, namely, under 

 favourable conditions, in from 3 to 5 days. The species chiefly ex- 

 perimented on were Onoclea Struthiopteris and sensibilis. In the genus 

 Onoclea the exospore is frequently thrown off on germination, and 

 between it and the endospore is another coat which the latter must 

 rupture. The spore, on germinating, lengthens, and divides trans- 

 versely into two cells, a smaller transparent one, which becomes the first 

 root-hair, and a larger one containing abundance of chlorophyll. The 

 larger cell then usually divides by other transverse septa into a row 

 of cells ; and, if grown in water, frequently does not go beyond this 



* Bot. Ztg., xliii. (1885) pp. 577-83. 



t Haberlandt, G., ' Physiologische Pflanzenanatomie im Grundrisse dar- 

 gestellt,' 8vo, Leipzig, 1884. 



J Bot. Gazette, x^ClSSS) pp. 355-69 (1 pL). Cf. this Jourual, v. (1885) p. 493. 



