238 Scientific Intelligence. 



face, and sometimes of the lower also, rows or bands of large thin- 

 walled cells, which our author names bulliform cells. These in 

 their presence, absence, number, and arrangement, are uniform in 

 each species, but often quite different in the same genus, so that 

 they may be used for critical specific character ; and they are, 

 moreover, connected invariably with the vernation of the leaf, and 

 with the opening and closing (either by conduplication or convo- 

 lution, according to the vernation of the species) which are so 

 prompt in many grasses. That this movement takes place in virtue 

 of the hygrometric expansion of these cells under moisture and their 

 contraction in dryness, was made plain by the behavior of sections 

 of the leaf under the microscope, the closed conduplicate leaf of 

 Sesleria opening instantly upon the application of a drop of water, 

 when these cells in a band on each side of the midrib, before flat- 

 tened or collapsed, became turgid and prominent. The leaves of 

 Zeersia orvyzoides are described as rolling up instantly upon be- 

 ing bruised or roughly handled, as if endowed with real irrita- 

 bility. We trust some of our young botanists will look to this, next 



The split sheath of the leaves is one of the diagnostic characters 

 of the Graminece. Exceptions in Glyceria, &c.. were familiar. M, 

 Duval-Jouve states that about a fifth part of the species have entire 

 sheaths. Also that various grasses bear two, three, and even four 

 leaves on one node ! a. g. 



3. Botryopteris Forensis, an interesting fossil fern, which occurs 

 with fructification preserved in a silicified state in the rich de- 

 posits of Autun and Saint ^fitienne, France, has recently been 

 investigated microscopically by B. Renault (Ann. Sci. Nat., 6 

 ser., i, 1875), In one plate he has illustrated the anatomy of the 

 stem; in four others its fructification, and the anatomy, develop- 

 ing fructification, «&c., of a THchomanes^ a Helminthostachys, and 

 a Botrychium, for comparison. He concludes that in this fossil 

 genus we have a type intermediate between true FiKces and the 

 Ophioglossem. a. g. 



4. Silicified fossil Fruits or Seeds, from the coal beds of St. 

 fitienne, are discussed by Brongniart in a preceding volume of 

 the Ann. Sci. Nat. (with figures^, and classified by the form of 

 their transverse section. They are thought to be gymnospermous. 

 Among those with binary symmetry, Cardiocarpus in its aflSnity 

 is thought to answer to Salisburia ; Bhabdocarpus, a new genus, 

 to Torreya ; Diplotesta and Sarcotaxns (new genera), to Cephalo- 

 taxim; Taxospermum and Leptocaryon to Taxus. Those of radi- 

 ate symmetry of three, six, or eight divisions or a circular section, 

 of various kinds, including Trigonocarpus, are conjectured to be 

 the fruit of Sigillaria, Calamodendron, and the like, which Brong- 

 niart takes to be an extinct type of Gvninosperms. a. g. 



.5. Respiration of Plants ; some' Besearches by Mayer and 

 WoLKOFF : a paper in Ann. Sci. Nat., in the volume above cited; 



