72 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JANUARY ~ 
escaped. The fungi peculiar to these galls belong to the genus Macrophoma, 
and are not referable to the species of Phoma that inhabit the same hosts. 
In a second paper?? NEGER treats the fungi associated with certain wood- 
boring beetles, Xyloterus dispar, X. lineatus, and Hvlecoetus dermestoides, which 
form ambrosia upon the walls of their tunnels. The fungus related to Hylecoetus 
is probably a species of Endomyces; the other two are closely similar, but not 
identical, and are not identifiable. The species of Ceratostomella, which NEGER 
formerly mistook for ambrosia fungi in this case, are merely weeds in the fungus 
garden (as are also yeasts and bacteria), which have no part in producing the 
edible cells. The larvae of these beetles have thus, in their mouths almost, 
nutr tious food abstracted by the vegetative mycelium from the more distant 
wood cells, instead of the relatively poor food, the wood itself; —— the | 
borings are See . the sap-wood, where the fungi find appropriate conditions 
for growth.—C. 
Ovule and ovulate flower of Juglans.—BENSON and WELSFORD?3 have inves- 
tigated the ovule and ovulate flower of Juglans in reference to the discordant 
results obtained by VAN TrEGHEM (1869) and Nicotorr (1905). The “allied 
genera”’ examined for comparative study were Myrica, Carpinus, Morus, Urtica, 
firmed in all particulars. Interesting phases of “reduction” exhibited by the 
flowers of Juglans regia are as follows: (1) the origin of a dimerous condition from 
a trimerous, (2) barren placentae with a vascular supply, (3) one mode of the phylo- 
genetic origin of the orthotropous basal ovule from an anatropous parietal type- 
. More extended conclusions deal with the so-called epigyny of the group 
considered, and with the ovule in angiosperms. The investigators find in the 
group “‘no trace of that form of epigyny which is brought about by the concavity 
of the axis and sinking and inclusion of the ovary within it,” which description 
hardly applies to epigyny anywhere. It is concluded that the described epigyny 
of Amentiferae need not be regarded as an advanced character, and that the term 
had better be avoided. The conclusions as to the ovule of angiosperms are: 
(1) it is appendicular, (2) it is phylogenetically provided with a dual integument, 
- (3) the vascular supply may be compared with that of the outer integument 
r “‘cupule” of Lagenostoma.—J. M. C. 
Aridity and evolution.—Of the external factors which have influenced oF 
caused the evolution of the plant kingdom, MacDovca.*4 places much stress 
22 NEGER, F. W., Ambrosiapilze II. Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesells. 27:372-389- 
pl. 17. figs. 2. 1900. 
23 BENSON, M., AND WELsFoRD, E. J., The morphology of the ovule and female 
flower of Juglans regia and of a few allied genera. Annals of Botany 23: 623-633- 
figs.8. 1909 
24 Macpoueat, D. T., Influence of aridity upon the evolutionary development a 
plants. Pent ‘Work 12:217-231. 1909. 
