EOOLOQY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 267 



formed. From an examination of tlie history of development of the 

 inferior ovary of Compositse and the superior ovary of Nymphseacese and 

 Eanunculacese, and a comparison of the inferior ovary of Umbellifera9 with 

 the superior ovary of Acer, he comes to the conclusion that in the inferior 

 ovary there is no true coalescence of sepals ; but on the other hand, the 

 foliar organs do take part in the formation of the cavity even of the 

 inferior ovary. He further disputes that there is any essential difference 

 between the true inferior ovary and the so-called apparently inferior ovary 

 of the Pomacese. 



Extra-floral Nectaries of Hodgsonia heteroclita.*— Mr. W. Gardiner 

 describes the gland-bearing organs which are found in Hodgsonia, one in the 

 axil of each of the foliage leaves. A study of the development of these 

 organs demonstrates that they are peculiarly modified leaves, or rather 

 bracts, since they are associated with the rudimentary flower-bud. They are 

 doubtless identical with the similar modified bracts which occur in connec- 

 tion with the fully developed flowers. The glands are found on the lower 

 surface of the bract, and belong to the same type as those of Luffa, 

 although of a distinctly higher order. Glands of a similar nature also 

 occur on the under surface of the foliage leaves and on the sepals. The 

 substance secreted by the glands is most probably of the nature of nectar, 

 and the whole structures are to be regarded as extra-floral nectaries. 



A careful survey of the various glaud-bearing genera of the Cucurbitaceaa 

 and Passifloracese, and a comparison of such cases as those presented by 

 Passiflora quadrangularis and P.foetida, place it beyond doubt that the 

 function of the extra-floral nectaries of the two orders is to attract certain 

 insects — probably ants — which are of service to the plant in protecting it 

 from the attacks of other and harmful insects, such as caterpillars. As 

 regards the fertilization of Hodgsonia, there are special contrivances to 

 prevent the animal which feeds upon the nectar of the flower from obtaining 

 that of the extra-floral nectaries, and vice versa ; it is exceedingly probable 

 that fertilization is accomplished through the agency of a large night-flying 

 moth. 



Extra-floral Nectaries of Amygdalese-f— Sig. L. Maechiati describes 

 the nectariferous glands on the young leaves of Persica vulgaris, Amygdalus 

 communis, Prunus domestica, and Cerasus vulgaris. The size of the nectaries 

 varies vpith the time of day, the maximum size being early in the morning, 

 and the minimum in the afternoon. While in tropical America the purpose 

 of extra-floral nectaries is to attract destructive ants of the genus CEcodoma, 

 those of European plants serve in most cases to protect the flowers against 

 the attacks of caterpillars. On the mature leaves the glands have alto- 

 gether disappeared. 



Succulent Fruits.l — Dr. P. Lampe classifies the various kinds of suc- 

 culent fruits into (1) berry, (2) drupe, and (3) pseudocarp (forms of 

 Cratsegus, Mespilus, Cotoneaster, and Sorhus^, and describes the peculiarities 

 of the special structure in the cases of a number of wild and cultivated 

 species. 



Contrivance for dispersing the Fruit of Scutellaria galericulata.§ — 

 Dr. M. Kronfeld calls attention to a structure peculiar to this plant among 

 LabiatsB. The nucules of which the fruit is composed are one after another 

 ejected through the tube formed by the upper part of the persistent calyx, 



* Proc. Cambridge Phil. Soc, Nov. 8, 1886. See Nature, xxxv. (1887) p. 214. 

 t Nuov. Giorn. Bot. Ital., xviii. (1886) pp. 305-7. 

 X Zeitschr. f. Naturwiss, v. (1886) pp. 295-323, 



§ Verhandl. K. K. Zool.-Bot. Gesell. Wien, xxxvi. (1886) pp. 373-5 (4 figs.). 



T -A 



