472 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
leaves remain through the winter. A number of CupressineaB, the 
mature leaves of which are scale-like and adpressed, have, when young, 
typical needle-like leaves. 
Inflorescence of Urticacese and Moracese,* — Herr M. Golenkin has 
investigated the structure and development of the inflorescence in a large 
number of genera belonging to these two natural orders. He classes 
the various forms under two types. The first is dichasial, which may 
be simple (Parietciria, Pellonia, Memorialise and some species of Urtica ) ; 
or a number of dichasial inflorescences may be combined on branched 
dorsiventral axes ( Laportea , Fleurya, Girardinia , Boehmeria') ; or the 
inflorescences may be borne on shoots covered with bracts ( Cannabis 
Humulus ). The second and much less common type is that which 
occurs in Ficus and Dorstenia , and is not dichasial, but is characterized 
by the tissue of the receptacle retaining for a long period its meriste- 
matic character. 
Structure of the Flower of Cruciferse.f — From observations made 
on the genera Matthiola and Cheiranthus , Herr J. Klein maintains the 
view that the suppression of two of the shorter stamens which constitute 
the outer whorl is due to the presence of the honey-glands ; and that 
two out of the originally four carpels have become suppressed in the 
course of development, and constitute the septum or replum. 
Development of the Flowers of Crocus. % — Herr K. Schumann 
distinguishes between two different kinds of apparently terminal flowers, 
euacranthic and pseudacrantliic. The former spring immediately from 
the apex of a shoot which has produced leaves or other lateral structures, 
and there is no contact with any supporting axis or leaf ; while the latter 
term is applied to the apparently terminal flowers of dichasial shoots. 
True terminal (euacranthic) flowers blossom earlier than the lateral, 
and have a tendency to differ from them in the number of members of 
each floral whorl. 
In all the species of Crocus examined either the solitary flower or 
the central one is euacranthic. The rudiments of both spring and 
autumn flowers make their appearance in the latter half of July. 
Cladodes of the Asparagese.§ — Dr. L. Celakovsky discusses the 
nature of the cladodes in the Asparageae ( Danae racemosa , Semele 
androgyna, Buscus aculeatus , B. hypoglossum , B. hypophyllum , Myrsi- 
phyllum asparagoides, Asparagus officinalis ), and decides beyond question 
on their being caulomic in character — branches, in fact, which have 
assumed the form and appearance of leaves. 
Size of the Leaves of Conifers. || — According to Herr E. Meissner 
the leaves of conifers vary in size from year to year ; but, on the same 
tree, are, as a rule, larger, the higher the order of the branch on which 
they grow. No increase in length could be detected after the first year 
in those which live for several years, but a very slight increase in thick- 
* Flora, lxxviii. (1894) pp. 97-132 (4 pis. and 1 fig.). 
f Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesell., xii. (1894) pp. 18-24 (1 pi.). 
X Bot. Zt g., lii. (1894) 1 e Abtheil., pp. 29-54 (1 pi.). 
§ Czech. Franz Josephs Akad. Prag, 1893, G6 pp. and 4 pis. See Bot. Ccn- 
tralbl., lvii. (1894) p. 279. 
11 Bot. Ztg., lii. (1894) l te Abtheil., pp. 55-82 (1 pi.). 
