124 JOURNAL OF TILE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Light Sense. By Dr. P. SchurhofT (Bcih. Bot. Centralbl. xxiii, l te Abth. 

 Heft 1, pp. 14-26 ; 2 plates). — Finds in six species of Peperomia distinct 

 evidence of a light-collecting apparatus. This consists, in some cases, of 

 glandular hairs with the waterstoring cells which belong to them, or of 

 secretory epidermis cells with the hypodermis cell, or of the basal cells of 

 hairs with hypodermis cells. In one case there are papillary epidermis 

 cells. 



The light is always reflected upon the chloroplast, sometimes in con- 

 sequence of the shape of the cell whose upper convex wall functions as 

 a lens, or in other cases because the light rays collected by the lens- 

 shaped upper portion of the cell are dispersed by a crystal of calcium 

 oxalate and so thrown upon the chloroplasts. 



Whether these structures are intended merely to condense the light or 

 are really rudimentary light organs like the ocelli of some of the lower 

 animals remains an undecided question. 



If they are only light-condensers one would expect the chloroplasts 

 to change position when the light is thrown upon them from below. It 

 was found, by experiment, that they retain their position when the light is 

 thrown on the under surface, which is rather in favour of the theory that 

 they act as ocelli. 



The distribution of the crystals would seem to show that the stimulus, 

 if any, is transferred by the prosenchymatous cells of the vascular 

 bundles.— 67. F. S.-E. 



Lonieera Giraldii {Bot. Mag. tab. 8236). — Nat. ord. Caprifoliaceae ; 

 tribe Lonicercae ; China. Shrub with branches tawny-tomentose when 

 young ; leaves lanceolate, 1-3 J inches long ; corolla tube J inch long, 

 crimson, yellow pubescent without. — 67. H. 



Mendelism and Cytology {Bot. Gaz. Jury 1908, pp. 1-34, with 3 

 plates). — Mr. Eeginald Buggies Gates contributes a detailed study of 

 reduction in Oenothera rubricaulis.— G. H. S.-E. 



Mercurialis, Ipomoea, and Cuscuta {Beih. Bot. Centralbl, xxiv., 

 Erste Abth., Heft 1, pp. 83-95). — Herr Friedrich Hilderband records visits 

 of insects to the male flowers of Mercurialis annua and yew, but saw none 

 of them on the female flowers. He also describes the 'extraordinarily 

 sudden opening of the flowers of Ipomoea grandiflora, which occurs in 

 the evening after a hot and sunny day. The time of opening in the 

 evening depends upon when the sunlight acted on the buds in the 

 morning. He also gives a list of the host plants upon which Cuscuta 

 europaea and C. lupuliformis were observed. Both ordinary nettles 

 and even a Campanula were attacked by them. — G. F. S.-E. 



Monk's Rhubarb. By Ernst H. L. Krause in Strassburg {Beih. Bot. 

 Centralbl., xxiv., Heft 1, pp. 6-52). — Under the title of "Lapafchon and 

 Patience " the author investigates the history of Bumex patientia. His 

 conclusions are as follows : — 



The Greeks from about 400 b.c. used a Bumex which was eaten as 

 a vegetable. This plant seems to have been Bumex graecus, which is no 

 longer in cultivation, but wild plants are still collected and used as a 

 vegetable. A polymorphous series of species nearly related to it still exist 



