26 



Dr. John D. Dwyer. spoke on "Interesting plants of Litchfield 

 County, Connecticut." The speaker's abstract follows : 



A summer and fall survey of the flowering plants and ferns growing 

 on a 4,000-acre tract of land in Litchfield County, Comiecticut, and super- 

 vised b}' the State Board of Fisheries and Game., yielded approximatetly 600 

 species. Since the tract surrounds Bantam Lake and includes several ponds, 

 opportunities for the study of aquatic vegetation were offered. Seventeen 

 species of Potamogeton, including seven varieties, were collected. Numbered 

 among these is P. bupleiiroides Fernald, hitherto not reported for Connecticut 

 west of Windsor Locks. Special collections and study of the complex species, 

 Arisaema triphyllum were made. Kodachrome studies of exceptional and 

 attractive plants were featured. 



The second speaker, ]\Ir. Jerome ]\Ietzner, spoke on "Obser^-a- 

 tions on Local \'olvocales." The speaker's abstract follows : 



The three local species of Volvox may be distinguished from each other 

 easily on the basis of certain differences in vegetative characteristics. 

 V. globator has lobate protoplasts which are connected to each other by stout 

 protoplasmic connections containing contractile vacuoles. V. aureus is about 

 one-half the size of V. globator. Its protoplasts are not lobate and are con- 

 nected by very delicate strands of protoplasm. V. weismannia is approxi- 

 mateh- the same size as V. aureus but lacks completely any protoplasmic 

 connections. The oospores of V. globator are large and possess stout conical 

 spines. The oospores of L. aureus lack spines. In V. weismannia there are 

 slight spiny projections from the surface of the oospore. 



Our knowledge of the life cycle of the genus Volvox is incomplete since 

 fertilization has never been seen in any species. Preliminary' studies made 

 at Barnard College seem to indicate a complete lack of fertilization in 

 V. weismannia. The oospores may be partenospores. Studies made on the 

 development of the juvenile colony from the oospores in V. zi'eismannia 

 reveal the presence of protoplasmic connections in the early stages. This is 

 possibly indicative of the ancestral condition. 



The meeting was adjourned at 4:35 P.]\L to enjoy the refresh- 

 ments served by the members of the Garden staff. 

 Respectfully submitted, 



JOHX W. THOMPSOX, JR. 

 Recordixg Secretary 



]\IixuTES OF THE ]\Ieetixg OF Xove:\iber 3, 1941 



The meeting was called to order by the President, Dr. J. S. 

 Karling, at the American ^Museum of Xatural History at 8 : 15 P.M. 

 One hundred and eleven members and friends were present. 



The minutes of the previous meeting were adopted as read. 



