542 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JUNE 
This first investigated Asiatic species proves to be of great interest, as the 
following summary of results will show.. The prothallium is exceedingly vari- 
able in its early stages, and of special interest is the occasional occurrence of 
a “‘primary tubercle” comparable to that of Lycopodium cernuum. The lobes 
of the prothallium are always erect and very close together, both in nature and 
in a darkened room, so that this upright position holds no relation to the 
amount of light. One of the striking features of the prothallium is its radial 
symmetry, which disposes of the claim that the fundamental difference between 
the prothallium of Lycopodium and of Equisetum is that the latter is not radial, 
but dorsiventral. The prothallium of this species also proves to be much 
larger than the largest that have yet been found in the genus. There are no 
male prothallia, but sometimes prothallia do not produce antheridia, and 
therefore are female. The antheridia resemble those of Lycopodium in posi- 
tion, general structure, and paraphyses. The archegonium has a single neck 
canal cell, which is also a feature of resemblance to Lycopodium cernuum. The 
author reaches the general conclusion that there is a clear affinity with the 
prothallium of Lycopodium cernuum, and that there is no more difference be- 
tween the two prothallia than is already known to occur among the species of 
Lycopodium.—J. M. C. 
The embryogeny of Balanophora.—The researches of TREUB and Lotsy 
on the embryogeny of the Balanophoraceae are well known. In Balanophora 
they found the four nuclei in the antipodal end of the sac, and also the synergids 
and egg degenerating as soon as the sac reached the fertilization stage; the 
remaining micropylar polar nucleus gave rise to a cellular endosperm, from one 
of whose cells the embryo developed. 
ERwnst’s studies on the embryogeny of saprophytic forms led him to sus- 
pect that there might be a simpler explanation of the origin of the embryo of 
Balanophora. A reinvestigation*® confirmed the previous accounts of the 
origin and development of the embryo sac, the degeneration of the antipodals 
and the synergids, and the formation of a cellular endosperm from the micro- 
pylar antipodal; but it also showed that the embryo is developed from the egg. 
The development, however, begins late, after the egg is surrounded by cellular 
endosperm, and it was this behavior which misled both Treus and Lotsy. 
There is no fertilization in either Balanophora globosa or B. elongata. Both are 
parthenogenetic. The development of the sac shows the diploid number of 
chromosomes.—CHARLES J. CHAMBERLAIN. 
Experimentation in plant geography.—MAssarT” has given emphasis to 
the fact that plant geography has hardly kept abreast of other branches of 
6 Ernst, A., Embryobildung bei Balanophora. Flora 106:129-158. pis. 1, 2. 
ra) +t 
17 Massart, J., Le role de l’é imentation en géographie botanique. Rec. Instit. 
Bot. Léo Errera 9:68-g0. 1913. 
