406 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
dermal cells are much smaller than elsewhere, and the subjacent layers 
are rich in chlorophyll. The normal epidermal cells are thin-wa'lled, 
and are charged with a violet pigment. The spots with the small 
thick-walled cells become “ domatia ” for epiphytic algae and aquatic 
animals. ; 
Metamorphosed Buds of Lilium bulbiferum.* * * § — Herr H. Hesselman 
describes a very remarkable development of the buds of Lilium bulbiferum , 
in which the scales are transformed into floral leaves — perianth-leaves 
and stamens. In some cases the former completely assumed the form 
and colour of ordinary perianth-leaves, while the latter even produced 
pollen-grains capable of germination. The pliyllotaxis of the metamor- 
phosed bulbils was always spiral. 
Pellucid Dots in Hypericum.f — Mr. T. Meehan calls attention to 
the occurrence of two kinds of dots on the leaves and other organs of 
many species of Hypericum , black and pellucid, the abundance of each 
kind being often in inverse proportion to that of the other. He regards 
the pellucid dots as “ the initial steps taken by the plant in the formation 
of veinlets and veins.” 
Honey-Glands in Plants.^ — Mr. T. Meehan describes the nectar- 
glands in a Nepalese orchid, Cymbidium aloeifolium, in which the exuda- 
tion of saccharine matter appears to be absolutely useless to the individual 
plant. In Phlox paniculata also (p. 179), the most abundant flow of 
nectar takes place long after pollination has been effected, the stigma 
appearing to be self-pollinated. 
Glands of Tozzia and Lathrgea.§— On the leaves and leaf-scales of 
Tozzia alpinci and Lathreea squamaria, Prof. K. Goebel finds two kinds 
of gland, peltate and capitate. As is the case with other Rhinantheae, 
these plants possess the property of exuding water from the leaves ; and 
the glands — certainly the peltate, and probably also the capitate kind 
— appear to be the organs by which this exudation is effected. 
Spines of the Aurantiaceae.|| — From observations made on the 
orange, Mr. T. Meehan concludes that the spines in this order of plants 
are not of axial, but of foliar origin, being in fact, strongly developed 
bud-scales. 
Tubers of Orchideae-IF — M. Leclerc du Sablon states that in the 
Orchidese ( Ophrys aranifera ), during the period when the tubers are being 
formed, they contain an increasing quantity of starch ; the sugars, which 
are at first abundant, disappearing almost entirely. When the tubers 
give up their reserve food-material, the amyloses are first transformed 
into saccharose, then into glucose. Like many other perennial plants, 
the period of greatest vital activity is the winter months, from September 
to May ; the summer months from May to September being a period of 
comparative repose. 
* Acta Horti Bergiani,iii. (1897) 19 pp. and 1 pi. See Bot. Centralbl., Ixx. (1897) 
p. 292. t Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1897, pp. 181-3. 
X Tom. cit., pp. 183-5 (1 fig.). 
§ Flora, lxxxiii. (1897) pp. 441-53 (7 figs.). 
|| Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1897, pp. 174-5 (1 fig.). 
1 Comptes Rendus, exxv. (1897) pp. 1 34-6. 
