November 18, 1898.] 



SCIENCE. 



699 



ledons in germination. 5. In the species 

 of Quercus studied, the leaves of the seed- 

 lings were much alike, and not deeply cut 

 or lobed. 6. Fagus is the only genus in 

 ■which thehypocotyl lengthens, or the coty- 

 ledons become aerial. 



The paper was illustrated by two plates ; 

 one showing the peculiar division of the 

 cotyledons in Juglans and Hicoria, the other 

 various seedlings of the group. 



The Morphology and Taxonomie Value of the 

 Fruits of Grasses. P. Beveeidge Ken- 

 nedy. 



The presence of an epiblast and a plu- 

 mule sheath distinguishes the embryo of 

 the Graminese from that of other monocoty- 

 ledons. About eighty genera were investi- 

 gated to determine the constancy, mor- 

 phological significance and taxonomie value 

 of these peculiar organs. In general, species 

 of the tribes Maydete, Andropogonese, Zoy- 

 siese and Tristeginse are without epiblasts, 

 while those of the tribes Oryzete, Agros- 

 tidete, Avenese, Chloridese, Phalaridese, Fes- 

 tucese, and perhaps the Bambusese possess 

 epiblasts. Peculiar exceptions occur in 

 some tribes, e. g., the Hordese appears to 

 have equally as many with as without epi- 

 blasts. From study of the perfectly de- 

 veloped epiblasts in Zizania, Leersia and 

 Oryza the author is led to believe that the 

 epiblast is a second rudimentary cotyledon 

 opposite to the scutellum (cotyledon). The 

 plumule sheath is constant in all embryos, 

 and from his study of the vascular system, 

 together with Hanstein's investigations on 

 the development of the embryo of Brachy- 

 podium, the author believes that it is a 

 ligule-like growth belonging to the scutel- 

 lum and is homologous with the ligule of 

 the fully developed grass leaf. Unlike Ben- 

 tham and Haeckel, he is inclined to believe 

 that the Bambusese and Oryzese together 

 represent the most primitive grasses. The 

 Oryze£e resemble the Bambusese as follows : 



1. They show great variation in the struc- 

 ture of their fruit and spikelet. 2. They 

 possess remarkably large epiblasts. 3. 

 Some have the same number of lodicules. 4. 

 Pharus has a style with three stigmas. 5. 

 Many of the genera have broad petiolate 

 leaves and transitions between these into 

 linear leaves. 6. To a great extent they 

 have the same geographical distribution, the 

 larger number of the genera being indige- 

 nous to tropical America. According to 

 Haeckel's classification, the tribes Zoysiese, 

 Tristeginse, Andropogonese, Maydese and 

 Panicese, both according to the characters of 

 the fruit and those of the inflorescence, 

 form another natural group joined to the 

 Oryzese through Zoysiese and Tristeginete. 

 The Chloridese, although regarded by 

 Haeckel and Warming as being removed 

 some distance from the Andropogonese, have 

 been found like them in their fruit charac- 

 ters. Judging from their fruit characters, 

 the remaining tribes, Phalaridese Agrosti- 

 dese, Avenese, Festucese and Hordese form 

 another natural group in the order named, 

 and this coincides with the classification 

 given by Haeckel. 



To avoid a session Thursday evening, the 

 following papers were read by title: 



The Caryopsis of the Graminem. Profes- 

 sor L. H. Pammel. 



The Ecological Distribution of Colorado and Wy- 

 oming Plants. Professor L. H. Pammel. 



Fertilization of the Mushnelon Flower. Pro- 

 fessor Wm. F. E.ANE. 



Notes on Destroying Comptonia asplenifolia. 

 Professor Wm. F. Eane. 



Length of Time from Blossoming to Seed De- 

 velopment in Leucanthemum vulgar e. Pro- 

 fessor Wm. F. Rane. 



The Work Performed by the Agricidtural College 

 toward a Botanical Survey of Michigan. 

 Professor W. J. Beal. 

 Seven additional titles appeared on the 



