166 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [FEBRUARY 
had already discovered connecting threads between the two components in 
Cytisus Adami, which Miss HuME confirmed. In Solanum tubingense she found 
them, while in the other Solanum she did not. These results show that genet- 
ically unrelated tissues can be joined by connecting threads, and the inference 
is that such threads do not arise from spindle fibers, since no nuclei of the two 
components have even been sisters.—J. M. C. 
The embryo sac of Bellis.—The peculiar development of the antipodal 
region in some Compositae has long been known. In 1895 the reviewer” 
described an “antipodal oosphere” in Aster movae-angliae, and nearly ten years 
later Miss OPPERMAN® not only found an antipodal oosphere in Aster undulatus, 
but noted its fertilization. Recently, Carano” has described a “pseudo- 
oosphere’’ in the antipodal region of Bellis perennis. In all these cases, the 
region in which the abnormal oosphere is found is greatly enlarged; in fact, it 
has the appearance of anembryo sac. Doubtless the conditions in the enlarged 
antipodal cell are about the same as in a normal embryo sac, and consequently 
the occasional organization of an oosphere is not so strange as we formerly 
supposed.—CHARLES J. CHAMBERLAIN. 
Reproduction in gymnosperms and angiosperms.—Under this title ERNST” 
gives an excellent résumé of the present status of the subject. The illustra- 
tions, which are taken from the leading contributions, are well reproduced. 
The bibliographies are in two categories: those which treat the subject in & 
general way, like textbooks, and those which deal with original investigation. 
The title, Hand dictionary of the sciences, is somewhat misleading for English- 
speaking people, for this “dictionary” is more like an encyclopedia, consisting 
of several volumes, edited by a staff of specialists. Oxrmanns is the general 
editor of botany, and he has distributed the various topics to specialists 1n the 
various fields. All articles, like the one just mentioned, are signed.—CHARLES 
J. CHAMBERLAIN. 
Mitosis in Oenothera.—In the somatic divisions of Oenothera lata GATES® 
finds the chromosomes forming from the delicate reticulum by the pe el 
fusion of several strands. No prochromosomes are present, and no continuous 
spirem is formed. The splitting of the chromosomes occurs in late prophase, 
*9 CHAMBERLAIN, CHARLES J., The embryo sac of Aster novae-angliae. Bor. Gat 
20: 205-212. pls. 15, 16. 1895. 
» OppERMAN, Marte, A contribution to the life history of Aster. Bot. Gaz. 
37:353-302. pls. 14, 15. 1904. d ; 
2 CARANO, ENRICO, Su particolari anomalie del sacco embrionale di Bellis perenn’s- 
Annali di Botanica 11: 435-439. pl. 9. 1913. 
22 ErnstT, A., Fortpflanzung der Gy I und Angiospermen. Abdruck aus 
Handwérterbuch der Naturwissenschaften 4:227—-261. figs. 37- 1013- 
% Gates, R. R., Somatic mitosis in Oenothera. Ann. Botany 26:993-1°F° 
pl. 86. 1912. 
