ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 79 
occur. The vascular bundles are simply collateral, and contain inter- 
xylary phloem only in a few genera. Raphides were never observed. 
Icacinaceae.* * * § — Herr A. Engler discusses the value of anatomical 
characters in the classification of the genera of this natural order, nearly 
allied to the Olacaceas. The genera are all characterized by the ovules 
being anatropous, and possessing two integuments ; they are suspended 
in pairs from the apex of the loculus, presenting their raphe outwards 
and their micropyle upwards, the latter being covered by a swelling of 
the funicle. The four suborders, Icacinese, Iodeae, Sarcostigmatese, and 
Phytocrenese, may be distinguished by characteristics belonging to 
the structure of the vascular tissue ; the aberrant Phytocreneaa being 
characterized by the mixed leptom-hadrom bundles in the leaves, the 
cambium always producing alternately tracheids and sieve-tubes on 
the outside. 
(4) Structure of Organs. 
Anatomical Characters of Caespitose Plants.j — Dr. K. Reiche de- 
scribes the characteristics of the plants which form dense tufts or 
cushions in the higher Cordilleras of Chile. They present the usual 
peculiarities of plants which require protection from excessive evapora- 
tion — a low growth, small leaf-surface, and thick epiderm. The cortical 
parenchyme is very strongly developed, with a central vascular bundle 
or woody ring to the stem. 
Insectivorous Plants. — Prof. K. Goebel J gives a resume of the 
present state of our knowledge with regard to insectivorous plants. In 
the Droseraceae the structure of the absorbing glands is similar, whether 
they are seated on tentacles, as in Drosera , Boridula , Byblis, and Droso- 
phyllum, or not, as in Dionsea and Aldrovanda. In Utricularia the mode 
of germination and the development of the bladders are described in 
detail ; the latter he regards as metamorphosed foliar organs. Genlisea 
and Utricularia have probably been derived from Pinguicula, 
In another communication § Prof. Goebel states that the pitchers of 
Genlisea are modified leaves which have usurped the function of roots 
the plant being entirely destitute of true roots. These modified leaves 
are at first destitute of chlorophyll, and present all the appearance of 
true roots. They gradually assume the form of two-armed pitchers, and 
the portion which appears above the soil becomes green. The pitchers 
are truly carnivorous. 
Female Flower and Fruit of the Chestnut. || — Sig. F. Tognini 
describes in detail the structure of the female flower and of the fruit of 
Castanea vesca. Of the stylar canals the central one is more developed 
than the others, and is the only one capable of fecundation. In the 
other styles the conducting tissue is replaced by a vascular bundle. 
Only one ovule in each ovary is fertilized. 
* SB. K. Preuss. Akad. Wiss. Beilin, 1893, pp. 247-69 (1 pi. and 8 figs.). 
t Verhandl. Deutsch. Wiss. Yer. Santiago, ii. (1893) pp. 306-17. 
X Pflanzenbiol. Schilderungen. Th. ii. Lief. 1 ; iv. and 160 pp., 57 figs, and 
16 pis. Marburg, 1891. See Bot. Centralbl., liv. (1893) p. 270. 
§ Flora, Ixxvii. (1893) pp. 208-12 (1 fig.). 
|| Atti R. 1st. Bot. Univ. Pavia, 1892. See Bull. Soc. Bot. France, xl H893'> 
Rev. Bibl., p. 82. V ) 
