242 Morphologie etc. — Physiologie. 



the normal ones and without any spines on the wall. The sur- 

 rounding microspores seem to be normal. The author discusses the 

 Problem and compares the fact with similar cases, found amongst 

 the Phanerogams. Ö. Winge (Copenhagen). 



Schulz, A., Die Anzahl der Samen in der Hülle von Astra- 

 galus danicus Retzius. (Mitt, Thüring. bot. Ver. N. F. XXXIII. p. 

 21—24. Weimar 1916.) 



Astragalus danicus verhält sich hinsichtlich der Samenzahl sei- 

 ner Hülsen überall (d. h. in den einzelnen Verbreitungsgebieten 

 dieser Art) gleich. Sie sind nicht einsamig. Die Aufstellung von 

 Abarten, die sich auf die Samenzahl gründen, ist nicht berechtigt. 



Matouschek (Wien). 



St. Clair Caporn, A., A note on the male inflorescence of 

 a speciesof Gnetuni from Singapore. (Ann. Bolus Herb. IL 

 1. p. 13-18. March 1916.) 



In comparing this inflorescence with those of other species of 

 Gnetmn the author points out the following features: 



„1. The Condensed natare of the whole inflorescence, its conspi- 

 cuous nodes and short internodes. 



2. The great number (20) of barren female flowers in each floral 

 ring. 



3. The large diameter of every floral ring. 



4. The presence of cupular mucilage cavities. 



5. The Constitution of the apical segment of the inflorescence. 



6. The absence of vascular bundles passing out from the main 

 Stele to the top of each floral complex, — the so-called "internodal 

 or 'descending' traces". 



7. The lack of anything which can be identified with the "aug- 

 menting bundles" described by Thoday in the female spikes by 

 many Gneta". 



The name of the Singapore species is doubtful; it is suggested 

 that it may be G. funiculare. E. M. Cotton. 



Leitch, I., Studies over Temperaturens Indflydelse paa 

 Vaeksthastigheden hos Roden af Pisum sativum, [lieber 

 den Einfluss der Temperatur auf die Wachstumsge- 

 schwindigkeit der Wurzel von Pisum sativum.]. (Kgl. Danske 

 Vid. Selsk. Forh. p. 109. Kopenhagen 1916.) 



Resume einer in Ann. of Bot. 30, p. 25, 1916 publizierten Ab- 

 handlung. Ref. in Bot. Centralbl. 134, p. 69, 1917. 



P. Boysen Jensen, 



Loeb, J., The Stimulation of growth. (Science. N. S. XLI. 

 N« 1063. p. 704—715. 1915.) 



The unfertilized egg can in most cases not grow even under 

 the most favorable conditions and is doomed to die in spite of its 

 Potential immortality, unless it is fertilized or treated with the me- 

 thods of artificial parthenogenesis. The condition of rest or growth 

 depends in this case apparently upon the condition of the cortical 

 layer of the egg and the alteration in the rate of oxidations con- 

 nected with this condition. In the body, cells may be at rest or 



