336 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [OCTOBER 
2. A decrease in the poisonous properties of the fruit of R. di- 
versiloba occurs simultaneously with the increase in fat content. 
3. The decrease in the poisonous properties in the ripening of 
the fruit of R. diversiloba eventually results in the fruit becoming 
non-toxic. This phenomenon is not necessarily due to a chemical 
transformation of the poison into fat for: (a) subsequent to the 
formation of fat the cells in which it is deposited become filled with 
starch; (b) it is possible for the plant to transform starch into fat; 
(c) fat is not formed in the parenchymatous sheaths of the resin 
passages; (d) consequent upon the formation of fat, the resin 
passages are everywhere constricted by the growth of parenchyma 
sheaths; (e) a similar fat has been found in the fruit of a non- 
poisonous species of Rhus. 
I am indebted to Professor T. BRairsrFoRD ROBERTSON for 
having placed the resources of his laboratory at my disposal during 
this investigation. 
PASADENA, CAL. 
LITERATURE CITED 
1. Barrows, W. B., The common crow of the United States. U.S. Dept. 
Agric., Div. Ornith. and Mammal. Bull. no. 6:85-87. 1895. 
2. BRANNT, W. F., Animal and vegetable fats and oils. London. 1896 
(pp. 138-141). : 
3. Bryant, H. C., Habits i food of the roadrunner of California. Univ. 
Cal. Publ. Zool. 17:29 
4. Du SaBion, LE Cane ak Rend. 117: 524. i 119:610. 1894; 
123:1048. 1896; Rev. Gen. Bot. 7:145. aes 2 313- 
5. Lawes and GirBert. Phil. Trans. part 2. 
6. LewkowITcu, J., Chemical technology and abe of oils, fats, and waxes. 
London. 1914 (vol. II, p. 650). 
7. : Pfliiger’ s Archiv. 71:—. 
8. Mézsrus, M..——. Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesells. 15:435. 1897- 
9. PFEFFER, Mw, Physiology of plants, transl. by A. J. Ewart. Oxford. 
1g00 (Pp. 4 
10. Sakis ¥, Ber. Schles. Gesells. 73: part 2, 75. 
tz. ScHmipT, ——. Flora 74:300. 1891. 
12. STEVENS, A. B., Poison ivy fruit. Amer. Jour. Pharmacy 80:93- 1908. 
13. STEVENS, A. B., and WARREN, L. E., Poison sumac. Amer. Jour. Phar- 
macy 79:499. 1907. 
14. Voir, ——, Respiration. Sitzungsb. Miinch. Akad. 15:51. 1895- 
15. WaRREN, L. E., ——. Pharm. Jour. 1909. 
