364 
EE VIEWS. 
conceded bv fossil botanists and those who have discussed their 
«/ 
results, that Proteaceae were a dominant group in Central and 
Southern Europe during the later eocene and miocene periods. M. 
de Saporta says, “ qu’il n’est pas certain que les Proteacees ter- 
“ tiares aienf ete toujours pourvues des memes sortes de fruits ou de 
“ seinences que celles de notre epoque.” This question resolves itself 
into—(1) Is it more likely that Proteaceae of the early Tertiary had 
different fruits from existing Proteaceae, than (2) that some other 
order of that period had leaves like Proteaceae of the present day. 
The uncertainty here referred to is an example of the cloud envelop¬ 
ing almost the entire study of fossil plant remains. 
No fewer than six species of Pine are described from the “ gypses,” 
—four with binate, two with ternate or binate leaves,—and live 
species of Podocarpus , a genus impossible to recognize from leaves 
alone. Surely sufficient allowance has not been made for the 
probable variability of a smaller number of species. Podocarpus 
proximo, need not be distinct from P. gypsorum; indeed both, with 
P. linearis also, might belong to P. Lindleyana. 
The determinations of Gramopetalae and Leguminosae are ex¬ 
tremely unsatisfactory, as indeed are those of Professors Heer and 
Unger in the same groups. A Table is appended to the descriptive 
portion of M. de Saporta’s Memoir, exhibiting the localities out of 
Prance where each species not confined to Provence is found; also 
the living analogue of most of the species and the country where 
such are found. 
The discussion entered upon in M. de Saporta’s brochure upon 
the role of deciduous trees in the older Tertiary, we cannot at 
present follow. In reference to it, his conclusions are, “ that it is 
extremely probable that the deciduous plants of the Aix Plora 
occupied but a very secondary position, and if their impressions be 
very rare in the strata deposited at this epoch (prior to the miocene), 
this may be due to their habitat having "been at some little distance 
from the ancient shores, to their isolated occurrence and medium 
size.” Finally, he says, “ we may state that the periodical fall of the 
leaf in these species, far from involving the existence of a cold season, 
is a phenomenon quite reconcilable with the high temperature to 
which was due the profusion of tropical forms in the Flora of the 
1 gypse d’ Aix .’ ” 
XXXYI.— Uebee die (xEEassBuNDEL dee Pelanzen. Yon Dr. 
B. Caspary. 
Botanists will be apt to be a little startled to learn from the dis¬ 
tinguished and active Professor of Botany in the Konigsberg 
University that the greater number of Monocotyledons, as well as 
several Dicotyledons, are wholly or partially (i, e. in at least some 
of their organs) destitute of ‘ vessels.’ And their surprise will be 
