164 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [AUGUST 
History of gymnosperms.—BERRY™ has published his paper prepared for 
the symposium on gymnosperms at the meeting of the Botanical Society at 
the University of California last August. He outlines the paleobotanical evi- 
dence in reference to gymnosperms, which extends more or less continuously 
from the Devonian to the present time. A diagram not only summarizes the 
data as to the age and relative abundance of the groups, but also indicates the 
author’s suggestions as to phylogeny. -The cycadophyte phylum rises directly 
from the fern stock through Cycadofilicales, which group in turn gives rise to 
Williamsoniales, Cycadeoidales, and Cycadales. This splitting up of Ben- 
araucarians are credited with being the oldest conifer stock, the groups of 
Pinaceae being left in a more or less problematical position as to age of origin 
and ancestral group, and among them the Abietineae are regarded as more 
modern than the Taxodineae and Cupressineae. Taxaceae and the Ginkgoales 
are left unconnected, the latter beginning in the later Paleozoic, and the former 
recognized at the base of the Mesozoic.—J. M. C 
Morphology of Phylloglossum.—Sampson” has investigated this much 
discussed monotypic A chiefly with cnnoevipags to its “annual storage tuber,” 
the so-called “‘protocorm” of TREUB s a result of detailed anatomical 
investigation, the sa concludes that this sheet is “‘a specialized leafy axis, 
the terminal bud of which functions both as a means of vegetative reproduction 
and as an organ of perennation,” comparable with the resting buds of Lyco- 
podium inundatum and the “tubers” of certain Indian species of Selaginella. 
That in fertile plants the tuber is a modified branch is supported by the follow- 
ing facts: (1) a gap is left in the stele of the main axis by the exit of the vascular 
strand of the tuber; (2) the stele of the tuber often shows a corresponding gap; 
and (3) the tuber bears leaves, some of which are considerably reduced. The 
sterile plant consists of a simple axis, the apex of which has formed a storage 
tuber. e author concludes that the tuber of Phylloglossum, therefore, can 
no longer be compared with the protocorm of Lycopodium cernuum, but the 
two genera are found to be more nearly related by the fact that Phylloglossum 
is shown to be not characteristically an unbranched form.—J. M. C 
Flavone derivatives in plants.—Surpata and Kisurpa* find that aerial 
parts of high mountain plants are generally much richer in flavone bodies 
3 Berry, E. W., The geological history of gymnosperms. Plant World 19:27-41- 
Wii. 2. 1915. | 
™4 SAMPSON, K., The rag of Phylloglossum Drummondii Kunze. Ann. 
Botany 30:315-331. figs. 5. 19 
Ss SHIBATA, K., und asc , M., Untersuchungen iiber das Vorkommen und 
physiologische Bedeutung der Fiavordesivate in den Pflanzen. II Mitt. Bot Mag. 
Tokyo 29:316-332. 1915. 
