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BOTANICAL GAZETTE 



virus does not permeate to the embryo if has been traced to the ovule integu- 

 ments.— H. C. Cowles. 



Leaf anatomy of Veronica. — The xerophytic, shrubby species of Veronica 



they have been made the subject of a careful anatomical study by Adamson. 13 

 He investigated 39 species, the material being obtained from plants grown in 

 England, although comparison was made with herbarium material. Most of 

 the species are indigenous to the eastern part of the southern island where the 

 rainfall and temperature are low and the wind high. While these species seem 

 admirably fitted for life in such a climate, they show remarkably little plas- 

 ticity in cultivation. Six ecological groups are recognized as follows: (1) with 

 the large or elongated, not particularly xerophytic, leaves; (2) with leaves 

 similar in aspect, but thick and leathery; (3) with small, spoon-shaped, some- 

 what xerophytic leaves; (4) with leaves similar in form, but much more leathery 

 and often glaucous; (5) with leaves much reduced and either small and spread- 

 ing or appressed and imbricate; (6) with leaves toothed and petioled. The 

 most characteristic xerophytic structural features are reduction of leaf surface 

 and of intercellular spaces and high cutinization. In some of the more xero- 

 phytic forms there are curved cuticular expansions arching over the stomata, 

 forming an outer vestibule. Hydathodes, usually more characteristic of 

 hygrophytes, are found in some of these species. In general, the increasing 

 xerophytism noted in the first five groups above is correlated with increasing 

 xerophytism of habitat, culminating in the famous whip-cord species, which 

 show a striking resemblance to certain conifers. — H. C. Cowles. 



Upper cretaceous and eocene plants. — Only the points of interest to 

 botanists need be considered in this contribution by Berry.'" In the creta- 

 ceous flora the author describes a number of conifers and angiosperms. In the 

 case of the former, he records his belief that the material identified by Hollick 

 and described anatomically by the reviewer as species of the recognized meso- 

 zoic Sequoia, do not in reality belong to this genus. This is a most interesting 



and were identified by Berry himself. Dr. Stopes in her recent continuation 

 of the catalogues of mesozoic plants of the British Museum, being in possession 

 of some of the reviewer's material, admits that it does not belong anatomically 

 to the genus Sequoia. There thus arises a very interesting situation indeed. 

 What Berry systematically identifies as Sequoia is according to Dr. Stopes 

 anatomically not Sequoia at all. One wonders if the paleobotanists of the 

 Mesozoic will be as slow to admit that they may be deceived by the external 



« Adamson, R. S., On the comparative anatomy of the leaves of certain species 

 of Veronica. Jour. Linn. Soc. Bot. 40:247-274. figs. ly. 191 2. 



Berry, E. W., The Upper Cretaceous and Eocene floras of South Carolina and 

 Georgia. Professional paper 84, U.S. Geol. Survey. 1915. 



