Abstract
Journal of Botany, September, October, and November.— The last three numbers of this journal are mainly occupied with articles on descriptive and systematic botany, extracts, and reviews, with the exception of two, to which special attention may be called.—In the September number Mr. S. Le M. Moore has a “preliminary notice” on mimicry of seeds and fruits, and the functions of seminal appendages. He points out the number of seeds or fruits that bear a striking resemblance to coleopterous or other insects, by means of which he believes they may often escape from their seminivorous enemies by being passed over as insects, or, being picked up and thrown away by insectivorous birds, may thus become disseminated. He adduces striking instances of this mimicry in Polygalacese, Leguminosse, Umbelliferæ, and especially Euphorbiaceas, in which the carunculus of the seed closely resembles the head of the insect, and the raphal line the line between the closed elytra, the seed being often besides symmetrically striped or spotted. The main object of the fleshy carunculus has been generally assumed to be the supplying of food to the young embryo; but this, Mr. Moore believes, is not confirmed by actual experiment. It also no doubt serves to attract seminivorous birds, through whose body the seed passes to be prepared for germination.—In the November number Mr. S. H. Vines has an article on alternation of generations in Thallophytes, the main object of which, however, is to show that it does not exist, except in a very few cases. This is indeed in accordance with the general view of botanists. Mr. Vines still holds to his view that alternation of generations occurs in Characeæ; though why he now returns to the very doubtful position which he had previously abandoned, that the Characeæ are Thallophytes, is not explained.
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Scientific Serials . Nature 21, 98–99 (1879). https://doi.org/10.1038/021098b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/021098b0