62 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
natural orders, .and concludes from the comparison that they are nearly 
related to one another genetically. 
(4) Structure of Organs. 
Adaptations of Plants to a rainy climate.* * * § — Herr J. R. J ungner 
describes the contrivances by which trees and shrubs growing in the 
Cameroon Mountains, one of the most rainy regions on the face of the 
globe, adapt themselves to the climate. The most common of these 
adaptations is a leathery consistence of the leaves, which terminate in 
a sharp point, facilitating the rapid running off of the water from their 
surface, and thus preventing the growth of fungal, algal, and other 
parasites which would otherwise developewith extraordinary rapidity on 
the moist surface of the leaves during the intervals of bright sunshine. 
Those species which are provided with a bitter latex or other poisonous 
substances do not need this protection. Plants introduced from other 
less rainy climates commonly fall a prey to the parasites. 
Causes of Variation in Flowers.j — Mr. T. Meehan calls attention 
to the great variability in the flowers of Linaria vulgaris in the United 
States, both in colour and form, especially in the lower lip of the 
corolla. This occurs in specimens growing in close proximity to one 
another, and therefore cannot be due to differences in the environment. 
The stigma is self-pollinated before the opening of the corolla; as 
the plant has been introduced from Europe, and all the specimens in 
any one locality have probably sprung from one, or from only a few, 
progenitors, the only explanation of the variability which the author 
can offer is that the plant derives from some pre-natal influence an 
inherent power to vary greatly. 
Male Flower of Chamaedorea.f — -M. O. Liguier describes in detail 
the male flower of Chamsedorea elegans ( Palmae). The more important 
noteworthy points are the following : — -The calyx is entirely independent 
of the rest of the flower ; its fibrovascular system is inserted immediately 
above that of the racliis of the inflorescence ; while the systems of all 
the other parts of the flower are inserted one above another, though 
somewhat irregularly. The anatomical insertion of the stamens, in 
contrast to their apparent insertion, is on the petals, and not on the 
ovary. The three bundles of the ovary have a reversed orientation, 
though appearing to represent the dorsal bundles of the carpels. Those 
of the petals terminate in hypodermal tracheae. 
Protection of Buds in the Tropics.§ — Mr. M. C. Potter describes the 
various special contrivances by which the buds of various tropical plants 
are protected from a dry atmosphere and from the direct rays of the 
sun, which he groups under four heads, viz. : — Protection by means of 
stipules ; by the position assumed when young ; by shade from older 
leaves; and by an exudation of gum. Examples are adduced of each 
of these modes furnished by plants growing in Ceylon. 
* Bot. Centralbl., xlvii. (4891) pp. 353-60. 
t Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1891, pp. 269-70. 
J Bull. Soc. Linn. Normandie, iv. (1890) 1891, pp. 23-30 (1 pi.). 
§ Journ. Linn. Soc. (Bot.), xxviii. (1891) pp. 343-52 (3 pis.). Cf. this Journal, 
1889, p. 86. 
