ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 79 



colouring substance rhamnin, and glucose. Further experiment showed 

 that the seat of this ferment in the seed is nearly or quite exclusively 

 the raphe. If to a fresh solution of the boiled pericarp a very small 

 portion of the raphe is added, a copious precipitate is almost immediately 

 obtained of semi- crystalline yellow masses of rhamnetin. The cells of 

 the raphe are found to contain a brilliant oily-looking colourless sub- 

 stance. No trace of this ferment was found in four other species of 

 ffliamnus examined, viz. It. tinctorius, carolinianus, Wicklius, and 

 eatharticus. As to the nature of the ferment, nothing definite was 

 determined. 



Prof. Ward suggests that the purpose of this arrangement is the 

 production of glucose as soon as the seed begins to germinate, for the 

 nutrition of the young seedling. 



Masked Fruits.* — Herr A. N. Lundstrom describes the heterocarpic 

 condition exhibited by Calendula and Dimorplwtheca. In the former 

 (1) wind-transportable, (2) hook-bearing, (3) larva-like fruits occur. 

 He gives reasons for regarding the resemblance between the last- 

 mentioned fruits and the caterpillars of certain butterflies as indeed a 

 case of mimicry. 



Development of the Fruit of Umbelliferse.t — Messrs. J. M. Coulter 

 and J. N. Kose describe the development of the fruit in UmbelliferaB, 

 Cheer ophyllum procumbens being selected as a type. 



In very young buds groups of three or four parenchyma-cells of the 

 pericarp, next the inner epidermis, begin to be set apart for the forma- 

 tion of oil-ducts. The first indication of this is that they become 

 secreting cells, and are discoloured by the characteristic oily contents, 

 and also become larger than the surrounding parenchyma-cells. Upon 

 approaching the period of flowering, the parenchyma-cells surrounding 

 each fibrovascular bundle subdivide, and when the flower opens, quite a 

 distinct group of small parenchyma-cells is discovered beneath each 

 rib ; these subsequently develope into strengthening cells. The exten- 

 sion of undifferentiated parenchyma is effected by radial cell-division, 

 the amount of tangential division being comparatively small. 



Axis of the Inflorescence. J — Herr O. Klein describes in detail the 

 comparative anatomy of the axis of the inflorescence. The epidermis is 

 not strongly thickened, except in those cases where the inflorescence 

 persists through the winter, as in that of the male catkins of the birch 

 and hazel ; here it is strongly suberized. The cortex consists either of 

 chlorophyllous or of non-chlorophyllous cells. The cortical parenchyma 

 increases with the ascending order of the branches, at the expense of the 

 mechanical tissue, especially where the inflorescence is destitute of 

 leaves, as in the Juncaceae. The vascular bundles retain nearly the 

 same diameter throughout, but their constitution alters ; the hadrome 

 continually diminishing towards the apex, while the leptome increases 

 to a corresponding extent. The number of bundles decreases with the 

 constant decrease in the diameter of the axis. The axis of the in- 

 florescence of Umbelliferse is treated in detail, especially in regard of 

 its power of bending. 



* Nov. Act. Reg. Soc. Scient. Upsala, xiii. (1887) pp. 72-7. 

 t Bot. Gazette, xii. (1887) pp. 237-43 (1 pi.). 



X Jahrb. K. Bot. Gart. Berlin, iv. (1886) pp. 333-63. See Bot. Centralbl., xxxii. 

 (1887) p. 107. Cf. this Journal, 1887, p. 989. 



