186 The Meeting of the British Association at York. 
Pal^eobotanical Papers. 
On Saturday morning a number of miscellaneous papers were 
taken, among which were two important palreobotanical com- 
m unications. 
Professor Jeffrey dealt with “The Structure and Wound- 
reactions of the mezozoic genus Brachyphyllum,” a genus of 
hitherto doubtful affinity, which was now shown to be an undoubted 
member of the Auraucarinere, mainly from the anotomical evidence 
of recently discovered material from the Raritan deposits of Staten 
Island, New York State, with structure preserved by partial 
charring. One of the most interesting points in the paper was the 
use made by the author of the “ traumatic ” resin canals found in 
Brachyphyllum. It appears that this plant produced definite resin- 
canals in its wound-callus, as the modern Abietineae do, and unlike 
the ancient or modern Araucarineae. Largely, though not wholly, 
on this account Professor Jeffrey concludes that this old genus 
connects the Araucarineae with the Abietinea:, removing the 
former from their somewhat islolated position, and shewing them 
as undoubtedly coniferous. Mr. Seward, in the discussion which 
followed, while quite recognising the validity of Professor Jeffrey’s 
demonstration that Brachyphyllum is a member of the Arau- 
carineae, found himself unable to accept the evidence of Abietinean 
affinity, and particularly that based on the occurrence of the 
traumatic resin-canals. Professor Jeffrey in his reply, remarked 
that he had only one thing to say in answer to Mr. Seward’s 
criticism—“ he jests at scars that never knew a wound.’ 
Professor Weiss described an interesting new Stigmaria 
possessing a considerable amount of centripetal primary wood, so 
that at first sight it has the appearance of a stem of Lepidodendron. 
though its characteristic periderm with the remains of rootlet 
cushions attached show that it is undoubtedly of stigmarian nature, 
Miscellaneous Papers. 
Among other papers of special interest may be mentioned 
Dr. A. F. Blakeslee’s two communications dealing with his important 
researches on “physiological sex” in the Mucorineae and other 
plants. In the Mucorineae he has recently found that Phycomyces 
nitens may by special methods be made to produce homothallic 
mycelia in addition to the ordinary heterothallic ones. The sexual 
character of these homothallic mycelia is however unstable, and no 
fixation takes place. Dr. Blakeslee’s paper was illustrated by a 
series of beautiful preparations, showing the homothallic and 
