1915] CURRENT LITERATURE 167 
all parts of the seedling, from whence it extends to all parts of the mature 
plant; that is, into the tissues of the stem, leaf, flower, and fruit. The ovary 
becoming infected, the mycelium enters the seed coats of the developing seeds, 
but the embryo and endosperm are free from infection. The fungus was iso- 
lated in pure cultures, and the seeds sterilized, so that a synthesis of the fungus 
of Calluna was accomplished. It was found that in case this specific fungus 
did not infect the growing seedling, it did not develop roots, and suffered com- 
plete inhibition of growth, remaining alive but rootless for several months. 
The fungus concerned is said to resemble the genus Phoma, and the author 
proposes that the species should be placed in a new subgenus, for which the 
name Phyllophoma is suggested.—J. M. C. 
velopment and distribution of Leguminosae.—ANDREWS’ has brought 
“a. all the data dealing with the development and distribution of Legumi- 
nosae, and has reached certain conclusions of general interest. His thesis is 
that ‘the present distribution of plants and animals i is the algebraic sum of the 
involved has been obtained only after ages of development during various 
geographical changes.”” This is a problem, therefore, which involves the 
cooperation of geology, geography, and biology. ANDREws finds that many 
uniform types of Leguminosae are widely diffused through the tropics, and that 
in extra-tropical countries these uniform tropical forms are represented by 
specialized types, which are mainly xerophytic. The details are fully presented, 
and it is thought that such study will throw light upon the nature of former 
land connections. For example, the author thinks that the Leguminosae show 
that New Zealand was separated from the tropics early in the differentiation 
of the family, while Australia was cut off at a date considerably later.—J. M. C 
Growth of Nereocystis.—Accurate data concerning the behavior of the 
large marine algae are much needed, the usual statements of the textbooks 
being vague. and often misleading. This need promises to be supplied by the 
work of the Puget Sound Marine Station, whose first publication describes the 
growth of the blades of Nereocystis Luetkeana. Miss Faxuis® findsethat this 
species grows as well when loosened from its foothold on the rocks, the holdfast 
serving only to fix the plant. Nor is the stipe, including the bulb, necessary 
ently. The growing region is not at the place of transition, between the blade 
and stipe, but its basal limit is at the beginning of the flattened part of the 
7 ANpREws, E. C., The development and distribution of the natural order 
Leguminosae. Nock Proc: Roy. Soc. N.W. Wales 48:333-497- 1914. 
§ Fatyis, ANNIE L., Growth of the fronds of ¥. ereocystis Luetkeana. Puget Sound 
Marine Station Publ. 1:1-8. 1915. 
