334 Scientific Intelligence. 



shoots, and the low trailing shrub which the collector, in his first 

 letter concerning it has spoken of as a " Vine Oak," so far as 

 known bears no other kind. Nevertheless, one may dare to pre- 

 dict that, if the shrub is ever found in a more perfect state, the 

 fruiting branches will exhibit leaves of a less complicated mar- 

 ginal indentation, and perhaps of a somewhat different general 

 outline. In almost all our oaks, vigorous sterile shoots bear 

 leaves far from typical." 



Mr. Hansen's plates are better than those of part I by Dr. 

 Kellogg, and give an excellent general idea of foliage and fruit. 

 More attention could with advantage have been given to detail, 

 and unfortunately the shading in some instances fails to give the 

 desired effect of rotundity in the stems and acorns. b. l. e. 



2. On Isoetes lacustris L. ; by J. Beetland Faemee, M.A., 

 F.L.S. (Annals of Botany, vol. v, No. xvii, pp. 37-62, pis. v, vi). 

 — In this paper Mr. Farmer presents a series of critical notes 

 upon the anatomy, morphology, development and systematic 

 affinities of the common Isoetes. His results are in several in- 

 stances at variance with those of previous observers, but are sub- 

 stantiated by clear illustrations, which bear every evidence of 

 accuracy ; some indeed having been reproduced from photographs. 

 The treatment of the difficult and disputed question of the growth 

 of the root may be mentioned as of special interest. b. l. e. 



3. Stadien uber die Tribus der Gaertnereen Be nth. -Ho ok. / by 

 H. Soleeedee. (Berichte der deutsch. bot. Gesellsch., viii, pp. 

 70-100). — The tribe of the Gaertnereae, as defined by Bentham 

 and Hooker in the Genera Plantarum, contains the genera Gaert- 

 nera^ Pagamea, and Gard?ieria, and is placed in the order of the 

 logcmiacece. The position of this small group of plants, how- 

 ever, is a matter of considerable doubt, and Baillon in his His- 

 toire des Plantes refers these genera to the Bubiacece, with 

 which they certainly have much in common. Dr. Solereder, see- 

 ing here an excellent opportunity to apply the "anatomical 

 method," has made a histological study of the plants in question, 

 with a view to determining more accurately their relationships. 

 As a result of his researches, he concludes that the three genera 

 cannot be classed in a single group nor indeed in the same order. 



Gaertnera and Pagamea he would transfer to the Bubiaceae, 

 placing them near Psychotria, while Gardneria is retained, 

 among the loganiaceae. The anatomical considerations upon 

 which these conclusions are based are chiefly the presence or 

 absence of phloem in the medullary tissue, and the occurrence of 

 rhaphides. Neither of these features would ordinarily have 

 much weight in classification. Internal bast occurs and fails to 

 appear, not only in plants of the same order but in the species of 

 the same genus, and the same is probably true of rhaphides. 

 Nevertheless in the presence of the strong morphological resem- 

 blances of Gaertnera and Pagamea to the Psychotrice the addi- 

 tional evidence of relationship which has been derived from the 

 microscopic anatomy may have its value. Dr. Solereder in con- 



