ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
401 
teids are typical circulatory forms, and that the quantity of sugar varies 
with the plant’s assimilation, Mr. R. H. Biffen argues that one function 
of latex must be to transport reserve-materials in the plant. The blind 
endings of the laticiferous system are generally connected with the pali- 
sade-cells. The result is given of determinations of the amount of sugar 
i^resent at different periods of the day in several species of Euphorbia. 
Caroubinase, a new Hydrolytic Enzyme.* * * § — M. J. Effront finds, in 
the seeds of the carob, Ceratonia siliqua , a hitherto undescribed diastase 
formed during germination, to which he gives the name caroubinase. It 
is produced especially after the seedling has developed a considerable 
amount of chlorophyll, and possesses strong liquefying and saccharifying 
properties. 
Doubling of the Fundamental Band of Chlorophyll.-)- — According 
to M. A. Etard, the number of the bands of chlorophyll and the wave- 
length of their mean axis may be accurately counted by the method of 
successive dilutions, and may serve to characterise the exact kind of 
chlorophyll. The diversity of the chlorophylls is shown by the wave- 
length of the axis of their bands either already existing or incited by the 
action of reagents. The fundamental band of the chlorophylls is not 
always uniformly dark ; it may be double or triple. The special charac- 
teristics are described in detail of “ loliophyll,” the chlorophyll derived 
from Lolium perenne and other grasses. 
(3) Structure of Tissues. 
Stem of Compositse.J — Herr F. E. Ahlfvengren has examined the 
anatomical structure of the stem of 230 species belonging to 125 genera 
of Composite. He finds no single character belonging to the entire 
group. The following are some of the more interesting points. The 
sieve-plates are horizontal, or only slightly oblique ; there are none on 
the side- walls. There is always an intraxylary cambiform. The Cicho- 
riaceee have invariably septated latex-tubes ; most of the Tubifloraa have 
oil-canals. In the Cynarese oil-canals occur in those genera and species 
which have no latex-idioblasts in the vascular bundles. The quantities 
of starch and inulin are in inverse proportion to one another in the stem 
of Composite ; the younger parts are richer in starch, the older parts in 
inulin. Starch appears to be transformed into inulin during its migra- 
tion. 
Stem of Cuscuta.§ — M. M. Cornu finds several peculiarities in the 
stem of a species of Cuscuta from Turkestan, C. Lehmanniana , parasitic 
on j Robinia pseud-acacia. These are as follows : — The formation of 
secondary elements in the fibro-vascular bundles, and in the inter- 
fascicular zones. The nature of these elements, especially of the 
tracheids, which vary in their origin according to their position. The 
deposition of a special substance, of the nature of cellulose, in the 
cells which border the primary or secondary vascular elements and the 
* Comptes Rendus, cxxv. (1897) pp. 116-8. 
f Op. cit., cxxiv. (1897) pp. 1351-4. Cf. this Journal, ante, p. 48. 
t (Swedish) Lund, 1896, 86 pp. and 28 figs. See Bot. Centralbl., lxx. (1897) p. 208. 
§ Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xliii. (1897) pp. 699-720 (2 pis. and 2 fi<”s.). 
2 f 2 
