230 
POPTTLAE SCIENCE EEVIEW. 
would be most acceptable. Address, “Dr. Trimen, 71, Guilford Street, 
Russell Square, London, W.C.” 
The Fibre-cells of the Anther. — The researches which have been conducted 
by M. Adolph Chatin enable him to conclude — (1) That the fibre-cells are 
generally absent in aethers opening by pores ; (2) that the fibre-cells are de- 
fective in a certain number of anthers which dehisce longitudinally ; (3) that 
in some plants, whose stamens have undergone an arrest of development, if 
not morphologic, at least histologic, the absence of fibre-cells coincides with 
the incomplete evolution of the pollen. — Vide Comptes Rendus, January 22. 
The Spines and Thorns of Plants. — A very able essay on this subject has 
been published by M. Them. Lestiboudois. This distinguished botanist 
endeavours to show that the thorns are of two kinds : those continuous with 
the deeper tissues, and those which are simply superficial growths. The 
former he divided into epidermic , epidermidic, parenchymatic, and liberian. 
The second group, which especially form the subject of the present paper, 
may, he states, be produced in the following manner : — (1) By a single 
formation, commencing with the bark which bears them ; (2) by a single 
formation, subsequent to the development of the bark which supports them ; 
(3) by successive formations ; in such cases they may remain aculiform, or 
may become tubercular, or even may become confounded with the bark on 
which they rest. 
The Structure and Function of the Partitions of the Anther. — M. Chatin, 
who seems to be devoting himself to the investigation of the anther, has 
a paper in the Comptes Rendus (Jan. 2nd). He defines the partition to 
be the layer of tissue which divides each of the chambers of the anther 
into two distinct thecae. It may present any of the three following con- 
ditions : — (1) It may be formed of a tissue in direct continuity with that 
of the “ connective (2) it may be entirely constituted of the valve of the 
anther’s chamber reflected upon the “ connective (3) it may be of a mixed 
origin, and partake of 2 and 3. It may have three different forms of struc- 
ture ; thus — (a) It may be solely composed of fibre-cells ; (6) it may have no 
fibre-cells entering into its structure ; (c) it may be composed of fibrous 
tissue, properly so called. 
Deceased Botanists. — We regret to announce the deaths of the following 
distinguished savants : — Dr. J oseph Maly, of Gratz, author of a “ Flora von 
Deutschland,” “ Botanik fur Damen,” and other works ; Dr. P. J. Lenne, 
Director-General of the Royal Gardens at Potsdam, near Berlin ; and Herr 
George Schmittspahn, Director of the Botanic Garden at Darmstadt. 
The Fecundation of Lupinus polyphyllus. — In a note contributed to the 
Journal of Botany for February, the Rev. W. A. Leighton records some very 
interesting observations which he made upon this subject. During last 
summer his attention was attracted to the operations of a small humble-bee 
on the flowers of Bupinus polyphyllus growing in his garden. The bee 
alighted on the blossom, and by the weight of his body drew down the alse 
and the keel, and inserted his proboscis to the base of the stamens, for the 
purpose of extracting the nectar. In doing so, Mr. Leighton noticed that 
the stamens covered with pollen and the pistil were slightly extruded from 
the apex of the keel, and struck against the under portion of the body of the 
bee, which probably carried away some of the pollen with him, and alighting 
