1914] CURRENT LITERATURE 339 
in Hopi maize. However these striking features may have originated, it is 
obvious that they enable this race to grow in much more arid situations than 
other races of maize, and it is suggested that it may well become an important 
economic plant in arid regions.—H. C. Cow es. 
Indiana Academy of Science.—The volume of Proceedings for 1912 contains 
the following abstracts and papers of botanical interest: “Further notes of the 
seedless fruits of the common persimmon (Diospyros virginiana L.),” and “The 
influence of certain environic factors on the development of fern prothallia,” by 
AvID M. Morrier; “The mosses of Monroe County,” by F. L. Pickerr and 
ILDRED NOTHNAGEL; “Length of life of Arisaema triphyllum corms,” and 
“Acetic alcohol as a killing and fixing agent in plant histology,” by F. L. 
Pickett; “Plants not hitherto reported from Indiana,” by Cuas. C. DEAM; 
“Report of the work in corn-pollination, IV,’ by M. L. FisHer; “Conjugation 
in Spirogyra,” by F. M. AnpDREws; ‘Photosynthesis in submerged land 
plants,” by H. V. Hemmercer; “Indiana fungi, III,” by J. M. VAN Hoox; 
“Fungous enemies of the sweet potato in Indiana,” by C. A. Lupwic; “Notes 
on some puff balls of Indiana,” by FRANK D. KERN; “The improvement of 
medicinal plants,”’ by F. A. Mitter; “The structure and diagnostic value of 
the starch grain,” by R. B. Harvey.—J. M. C. 
tructure of tropical amphibious plants.—Material of Ipomea repians and 
Neptunia prostrata obtained from pools in northwestern Madagascar that are 
quite dry during a considerable portion of the year was examined by CHovux,% 
who compared the anatomy of the portions developed during the wet and dry 
Seasons. He found considerable differences in size and external appearance, 
while in internal structure the stems developed during the dry season showed 
(r) Proportionately greater development of vascular and fibrous tissue, together 
with smaller air Passages; and (2) a considerable amount of stored starch, a 
food reserve quite lacking in portions developed during the humid season. It 
would seem, therefore, that in these two tropical amphibious forms the growth 
activity results during the dry season in the accumulation of reserve food; 
While during the wet season the growth is so vigorous that it uses not only the 
food then manufactured, but also that which has been accumulated during 
the previous months.—G. D. FULLER. 
Osmosis in soils——The recent results obtained by LynpE,” showing that 
certain soils, notably the clays, promote the movement of soil water by acting 
aS semipermeable membranes, increasing in efficiency with their depth, suggest 
WSS arta ne oe 
*‘ CHoux, P., De l’influence de l’humidité et de la sécheresse sur la structure 
anatomique de deux plantes tropicales. Rev. Gén. Botanique 25:153-172- 1913. 
“Lynpe, C. J., Osmosis in soils. Soils act as semipermeable membranes I. 
Jour. Phys. Chem. 16:759-765. 1912; and LynpE, C. J., and Bares, F. W., Osmosis 
mn Soils act as semipermeable membranes II. Ibid., 766-78. 
