172 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
whether they contain a nucleus or not ; and finds this to be the case, 
apparently universally, in both Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons. They 
possess also a parietal layer of protoplasm, and contain a large quan- 
tity of mucilage. Where the raphids occur as isolated crystals, each 
is enveloped in a distinct sheath of its own ; but the nature of thi& 
sheath, whether protoplasmic or cellulose, the author was unable to 
determine. The membrane of the raphid-cells presents no special 
peculiarities. 
(4) Structure of Organs. 
Protection of Geophilous Flowers.* — Prof. B. v. Wettstein describes 
the modes of protection of the flowers of geophilous plants, i.e. of those 
which, to a larger or smaller extent, form their floral organs under- 
ground. These he divides into two classes : — those in which the flower- 
buds escape from their envelopes while still beneath the soil, and emerge 
without their protection ; and those in which they are still protected 
by these envelopes on their emergence. These classes are again sub- 
divided into a number of types, each of which is illustrated in detail. 
In the first class, the inflorescence (or flower) is either erect or pendent, 
and the protecting structures are leaves, stipules, bracts, or hairs. 
Among illustrations of the various types may be mentioned Mercurials 
perennis , Anemone nemorosa , Orobus vernus, Eranthis Jiiemalis, Tussilago 
farfara , Adoxa moschatellina, Tulipa sylvestris, &c. To the second class, 
among which there is again a great variety in the special adaptations, 
belong Helleborus niger , Crocus , Paris guadrifolia , Allium ursinum, 
Galanthus nivalis , Leucojum vernum, &c. 
Pistil of Ranunculacese, Alismaceae, and Rosacese.f — Mr. Ernst 
A. Bessey has studied the development of the pistil in these three 
orders, which present this in common, — that they all have two types of 
pistil, a uniovulate and a multiovulate (in Eosaceee usually biovulate). 
The uniovulate pistil in all three orders represents a type in which an 
axillary structure appears, developing directly into the ovule in some 
cases; in others forming an axillary placenta on which the ovule is 
borne ; while in others it unites with one lamina of the pistil and bears 
an ovule at its summit. The multiovulate^ (or biovulate) type is re- 
garded by the author as having probably sprung from the last of these 
types among uniovulate pistils. The course of development of the uni- 
ovulate pistil is very similar in the three families. 
Heterocarpy and Heterospermy.J — Sig. L. Nicotra points out that 
when we get two forms of fruit in the same plant, as in many Composit®, 
some species of Ranunculus, &c. ; or two forms of seed, as in some 
species of Suseda, where some of the seeds have, while others have not, 
an endosperm ; this is always connected with facilities for the dispersion 
of the seeds. 
Classification of Fruits.§ — Sig. L. Nicotra proposes several modifi- 
cations in the terms at present applied to different kinds of fruit. He 
proposes the term holocarp ( olocarpio ) for an entire fruit resulting from a 
number of carpels, the product of each carpel being a “ mericarp.” The 
* Abhandl. Deutsch. Natur.-Med. Ver. Bohmen, i. (1898) 19 pp., 2 pis. 
t Bot. Gazette, xxvi. (1898) pp. 297-313 (1 pi.). 
j Bull. Soc. Bot. Ital., 1898, pp. 213-7. § Tom. cit., pp. 115-22, 201-12. 
