78 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
changes, and from the entrance of parasites. In a few cases stoppages 
of sieve-tubes were also observed. 
Aleurone-layer in the Seed of Grasses.* * * § — Mr. P. Groom states that 
the cells which compose this layer contain a rich store of oil in the 
protoplasmic network, whilst in the meshes of the protoplasm are nume- 
rous aleurone-grains, which form the greatest part of the cell-contents. 
In most other cases the aleurone-grains consist chiefly of globoids, with 
only envelopes of proteid matter. The aleurone-grain is hence often a 
receptacle for phosphates. In the oat, rice, rye, wheat, maize, sorghum, 
and Coix lachryma , the aleurone-layer is only one cell thick, while in 
barley it is for the most part several cells in thickness. 
Mucilage-layer in Flax-seeds.t — M. L. Mangin has studied the 
development of the mucilage-layer in the seeds of Linum usitatissimum , 
and dissents from the statement of Brandza that it is a result of the 
transformation of starch contained in the cells of the integument. He 
finds, on the contrary, that it consists essentially of a substance allied 
to arabin, formed by gelification of layers of the external wall. It is 
always accompanied by a quantity of cellulose. The same results were 
obtained in Linum grandiflorum, perenne, and campanulatum. 
Anatomy of Magnoliacese.J — Prof. S. Matsuda has examined and 
describes in detail the anatomical characters of species belonging to four 
tribes of this order, viz. Magnoliese, Illiciese, Schizandrese, and Trocho- 
dendrese, with a view to ascertain whether there are any anatomical 
peculiarities characteristic of the whole order. He does not find any 
such, but on anatomical grounds classifies the genera in four groups, 
nearly coincident with the four acknowledged tribes. 
Anatomy of the Stem of Dioscoreacese.§ — M. C. Queva states that 
in the stem of the Dioscoreaceae three vascular bundles proceed from the 
stem into each leaf. At the base of the petiole these branch into five, 
the intermediate ones being the result of the union of a lobe from the 
median bundle with one from a lateral bundle. The insertion of the 
axillary bud is determined by three vascular groups, a median and two 
lateral. The typical course of the bundles is seen in Tamus communis , 
where the phyllotaxis is 3/8 and sinistral ; in Testudinaria elephantipes 
it is also 3/8, but dextral ; in the various species of Dioscorea the leaves 
are opposite or verticillate, or have a 2/5 phyllotaxis. 
Anatomy of the Acalypheae.||— Herr P. Rittershausen describes the 
anatomical structure of the stem and leaf of this tribe of Euphorbiacese, 
especially in reference to the laticiferous system. True laticiferous 
tubes occur only in a few genera, — septated in Hevea, unseptated in 
Aleurites, Macaranga, Mallotus, Johannesia , and P achy stroma. In all 
the genera there are rows of specialized cells which contain tannins and 
often latex-like substances. The stinging-hairs contain in their terminal 
cell an acicular crystal of calcium oxalate. Stellate stinging-hairs also 
* Ann. Bot., vii. (1893) pp. 387-92. 
t Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xl. (1893) pp. 119-35 (1 pi.). 
X Journ. Coll. Sci. Imp. Univ. Japan, vi. (1893) pp. 115-49 (4 pis.). 
§ Comptes Rendus, cxvii. (1893) pp. 295-8. 
|| ‘ Anat.-syst. Unters. v. Blatt u. Axe d. Acalyphese,’ Erlangen, 1892, xv. and 
123 pp. and 1 pi. See Bot. Centralbl., lv. (1893) p. 1G4. 
