1885.] Progress of Botany in the United States in 1880. 947 
A SKETCH OF THE PROGRESS OF BOTANY IN THE 
UNITED STATES IN 188o. 
BY PROFESSOR C; E. BESSEY. 
A. Anatomy and Pipleistory 2k valuable paper appeared in 
the Botanical Gazette for November, on “The Stem of the 
Pumpkin for illustrating Plant Histology,” by J. C. Arthur. The 
disposition of the various tissues, with notes upon some of their 
peculiarities, and suggestions as to the best methods of preparing 
them for observation, make up the bulk of the paper. Finally a 
classified list of the tissues is given, as follows: 
Epidermal System : fibro-vascular System : 
Epidermis. (Cambium.) 
Stomata. Phiuém ; 
Hairs. Sieve-tubes. 
. Fundamental System: Phloém parenchyma, 
Interfascicular parenchyma. Xylem ; 
Hypoderma ; Vessels ; 
Cortical Annular 
Cortical decchtipis Spiral. 
Collenchyma, Reticulated. 
Scalariform. 
Pitted. 
Wood parenchyma. 
“ To these should pei be added Laticiferous tissue, some- 
times detected in the phloé 
W. K. Higley, in two papers is published in the Naturatist for 
Oct. and Nov., added somewhat to our knowledge of the “ Micro- 
Scopic Crystals contained in Plants.” Many crystal-containing 
plants are noted, and a useful list is given of all the natural orders 
_ of plants in which these structures have been observed. 
Dr. Engelmann’s paper on “The Acorns and their Germina- 
tion,” published in the Transactions of the St. Louis Academy of 
Sciences, Vol. 1v, records the results of his careful study of the 
germination of the acorns of many species. In addition to a 
definite statement of the structure of the embryo in the species 
examined, the author describes the tuber-like enlargement of the _ 
radicle in the live-oak, caused by the transfer to the latter of the 
food from the cotyledons. 
In a paper on “The Supposed Dimorphism of Lithospermum 
_longifiorum,” by C. E. Bessey, published in the June number of 
the Naruratist, the writer showed by means of many measure- 
ments that this species is not dimorphic (heterostylous), but that 
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