28 
0. S. U. Naturalist. 
[Vol. 1, No. 2 
The retiring president, Professor Schaffner, gave the address 
of the evening. He had for his subject “ The Life History and 
Cytology of Erythronium.” 
Landacre and others took part in a discussion of the paper. 
J. S. H. 
NEWS AND NOTES. 
The tenth annual meeting of the Ohio State Academy of Science 
will be held at the Ohio State University, Columbus, on December 
2(5 and 27, 1900. 
Petioles of the Cottonwood.— The leaves of the Cotton- 
wood as well as some other species of Populus have an interesting 
light relation. If one looks at a vigorous shoot, the leaves are seen 
to be arranged in the profile position around the stem. This is 
accomplished by means of a very simple device. The petiole is 
much flattened next to the blade and is quite flexible. The flatten- 
ing is transverse to the plane of the blade and on this account 
the leaf will assume the vertical position, no difference in what 
way it is attached or twisted. This adaptation is also respon- 
sible for the musical rustle one hears when resting in the shade of 
the Cottonwood. The leaves are very smooth and nearly alike on 
both sides. Because of these and other adaptations, the Cottonwood 
is one of the most successful of our semi-xerophytic trees and one of 
the last stragglers to be found in the western part of the great 
plains. J. H. S. 
