ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 781 



confined to several layers of tlio prismatic cells of the inner side of the 

 lamellfe, and it is here that the continuity of the protoplasm from cell to 

 cell was determined. A conduction of the irritation from one lamella of 

 the stigma to the other takes place in the two species of Martynia, and in 

 Mimulus cardinalis, hui not in M. luteus. That the conduction does not 

 take place through the vascular bundle was demonstrated by the fact that 

 it is not afiected by cutting the bundle. 



Nectary of Galanthus nivalis.* — Prof. F. Delpino points out that 

 Sprengel and H. Miiller are in error in regarding the green streaks on the 

 inner surface of the petals of the snowdrop as a nectary. They secrete 

 no nectariferous fluid of any kind, but are simply " Saftmaale," or guides 

 to the pollinating insect to find its way to the true nectary, which is a 

 minute circular green pit or foveola on the summit of the ovary surround- 

 ing the styles. 



Nectary and Aril of Jeffersonia.t — Dr. S. Calloui describes the 

 nectaries in Jeffersonia diphylla (Berberidacese) as swellings at the base of 

 each petal, which are closed glands formed by difierentiation of the paren- 

 chyma in the course of the development of the jietals. The torn aril with 

 which the ripe seeds are provided, and no trace of which is to be seen in 

 their early stage, is a true arillus resulting from a differentiation of the 

 parenchyma of the fuuicle. 



"Crazy" pollen of the Bell-wort. |— Mr. B. D. Halsted states that 

 the pollen of the large flowered bell-wort ( Uvularia grandijiora Sm.) is of 

 good size, smooth coated, nearly colourless, and in many ways well 

 adapted for use in laboratory work with students. In the experiments 

 conducted by the author, one of the culture slides lost a large part of the 

 nourishing sugar solution by absorption into pieces of surrounding blotting 

 paper, and the pollen-grains upon the under surface of the suspended glass 

 cover produced tubes of very strange abnormal forms. Some germinated 

 from the side, others from the end, while others still sent out tubes from 

 both side and end. In some cases the pollen-grain looked as if it had 

 undergone a process similar to that of the popping open of a grain of 

 Indian corn. In others there was an amoeba-like mass projecting from one 

 side of the grain, having not less than a dozen arms extending in as many 

 directions. 



Anatomical studies on Mayaca.§ — M. V. A. Poulsen states that the 

 root of Mayaca Aubl. is adventitious, and comes from the lower j^art of the 

 trunk. The intermediate zone of the cortex incloses a system of aeriferous 

 chambers. The cells of the endoderm are uniformly lignified, as are also 

 those of the pericambium successively as they advance in age. The aeri- 

 ferous chambers in the trunk are very large, and present characteristic 

 development with specialized cells in the septa. The leaves are small, 

 and, as in Lycopodium, the epidermis on the two surfaces is similar, 

 and does not contain chlorophyll. 



The original paper (in Danish), is illustrated by four plates. 



* Malpighia, i. (1887) rP- 354-8. t Ibid., pp. 311-6 (1 pi.). 



X Bot. Gazette, xii. (1887) pp. 139-40. 



Jj Overs. K. Danske Vid. Selsk., 1886, pp. 85-100 (5 i)ls.), French Resume, 

 pp. xxi.-iv. 



1887. 3 F 



