442 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
BOTANY. 
A. GENERAL, including* * * § the Anatomy and Physiology 
of the Phanerogamia. 
a. Anatomy. 
CD Cell-structure and Protoplasm. 
Reduction of the Chromosomes in Sexual Cells.* — Dr. V. Haecker 
points out that the account given by Strasburger of the period when the 
reduction of the number of chromosomes takes place is not in harmony 
with the observations of zoologists on the same process in the animal 
kingdom, and suggests that it may be the result of an erroneous interpre- 
tation. He especially contests the statements of Strasburger that “ the 
reduction takes place directly, both in the mother-cells of the pollen and 
in the mother-cells of the embryo-sac, and in such a manner that the 
reduced number of chromosomes is at once apparent in the prophase- 
stage ” ; and that “ the diminution in the number of chromosomes by half 
is due to the fusion into one of two chromosomatic individuals.” He 
thinks it possible that the reductions observed by botanists are only 
“ pseudo-reductions.” 
C2) Other Cell-contents (including- Secretions). 
Cytoplasmic Crystalloids.f — Miss L. H. Huie records the occurrence 
of protein crystalloids imbedded in the cytoplasm of the unicellular hairs 
which spring from the placenta in the ovary of Scilla patula ; the only 
instance of cytoplasmic crystalloids hitherto recorded being in the 
potato-tuber. They appear to have some relation to the nucleole. It is 
suggested that the function of these placental hairs, so rich in proto- 
plasm and crystalloids, is to nourish the pollen-tube, and guide it to the 
micropyle of the ovule. The mode of fixing and staining is described 
in detail. 
Plurality of Chlorophylls.^ — M. A. Gautier calls attention to the 
fact that he had already, previously to the observations of Etard, pointed 
out that the chlorophyll of living plants is not uniform in its composi- 
tion, that of rye-grass differing in this respect from that of spinach ; 
while that of Aspidium Filix-mas differs again in its properties from both 
the above. 
Protophyllin.§ — M. C. Timiriazeff maintains that the protochloro- 
phyll of Monteverde is identical with the substance already known as 
protophyllin, which can be obtained artificially from chlorophyll by 
a process of reduction. Protophyllin is immediately oxidised by the 
action of light, and this is the cause of the greening of etiolated parts of 
plants. 
* Ann. Bot., ix. (1895) pp. 95-101. Cf. this Journal, ante, p. 64. 
| La Cellule, xi. (1895) pp. 83-92 (1 ph). 
i Comptes Rendus, cxx. (1895) pp. 355-6. Cf, this Journal, ante, p. 330. 
§ Comptes Rendus, cxx. (1895) pp. 465-7. Cf. this Journal, 1894, p. 702. 
