ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
207 
phenomena of coalescenco and prolification are discussed in especial 
detail. 
Pistillody of the Poppy.* * * § — Herr K. Schilberszky describes a number 
of instances of the substitution of pistils for stamens in several species 
of Papaver , especially P. JRhoeas and orientale. This phenomenon, on 
which he bestows the term “ carpomany,” may take the form of the pro- 
duction either of partially open or of entirely closed pistils. He regards 
the phenomenon as demonstrating the correctness of the view that the 
pistil of Papaver consists of as many carpels as there are placentas or 
stigmatic rays, and also the affinity of the Papaveracese with the tribe 
Cleomese of Capparideae, and with the Cruciferae. 
Seed-wings of Abietineae, and closing of the Cones of Coniferse.f — 
Freiherr K. v. Tubeuf describes the structure and development of the 
wings of the seeds in the Abietineae. Their function appears to be not 
only to assist the carriage of the seeds through the air, but also to pro- 
mote their transport by snow-water. The author has observed the 
carrying away of yew-seeds by blackbirds, but not that of the plum-like 
fruits of Salisburia by any bird. 
The various modes are also described in which the cones close after 
the impregnation of the ovules, in order to protect them during their 
development, and the way in which they again open to allow of the dis- 
semination of the seeds. 
Casting-off of the Tips of Branches.! — Mr. A. F. Foerste describes 
the mode in which certain American trees — Catalpa speciosa , Staphylea 
trifolia , Ailanthus glandulosa , JEsculus Hippocastanum, Tilia americana 
and platyphyllos — throw off the tips of their branches at the end of the 
period of vegetation. This appears to be a contrivance to secure a 
determinate growth of the branches, and to obviate the useless expen- 
diture of energy when the branches are killed back by winter frosts, as 
is always the case with many trees. 
Comparison of Cotyledons and Leaves.§ — M. E. Pee-Laby has 
studied the comparative anatomy of cotyledons and foliage leaves in 
about 300 species belonging to all families of Dicotyledons. The 
epidermal cells of cotyledons are usually larger than those of the leaves, 
and have generally more wavy and thinner walls. The stomates of the 
cotyledons are usually more rounded ; stomates may be present even on 
underground cotyledons at the end of their period of germination. No 
hypoderm is to be found in cotyledons, and no palisade-parenchyme is 
ever present on both sides. The veins of cotyledons are generally 
curved ; the vascular bundles consist only of primary xylem with a few 
vessels, and primary phloem with a few short elements. An endoderm 
is more common with cotyledons than with leaves. 
* Abhandl. Ungar. Akad. Naturw., xxii., 79 pp. and 7 pis. See Bot. Centralbl., 
lii. (1892) p. 416. 
f Hab.-Schrift f. d. technische Hochschule in Miinchen, 1892 (3 pis.). See Bot. 
Centralbl., lii. (1892) p. 366. Cf. this Journal, 1892, p. 505. 
% Bull. Torrey Bot. Club, xix. (1892) pp. 267-9 (1 pi.). 
§ ‘ Rech. s. l’anat. comp. d. cotyledons et d. feuilles d. Dicotyledonees,’ Toulouse, 
1892, 144 pp. and 5 pis. See Bot. Centralbl., li. (1892) p. 345. Cf. this Journal, 
1892, p. 817. 
