POLLEN MORPHOLOGY AND THE RELATIONSHIPS OF CIRCAEASTER,OF KINGDONIA,AND OF SARGENTODOXA TO THE RANUNCULALES

The pollen of three monotypic genera, Circaeaster, Kingdonia, and Sargentodoxa has been examined by light and scanning electron microscopy and in the case of the last genus, also by transmission electron microscopy. The type of tectum found in Circaeaster and Kingdonia, derivations of a compound layer of striae, has a restricted distribution in the Order Ranunculales. Of 64 genera examined in this order only six had species with a similar tectum. They include Achlys, Epimedium, Jeffersonia, and Vancouveria of the Berberidaceae s.l., the controversial Hydrastis, and Trollius of the Ranunculaceae. Circaeaster and Kingdonia have been considered as related since both have rare and primitive vegetative characteristics, the most notable being open dichotomous leaf venation. They are probably best treated as a ditypic family, Circaeasteraceae. The pollen of Sargentodoxa, especially the structure of the exine, closely resembles that of the Lardizabalaceae. However, the fruits of Sargentodoxa have been considered to be distinct from those of the Lardizabalaceae, suggesting that it be treated as a separate, but closely allied, family.     

口唇部活体测量及生长发育研究

报告４３０８例幼儿至青少年期口唇部１１项指标活体测量的均数及性别差异。发现少年以前口部无显著性的性差,唇高等８项指标自１３岁开始,红唇高等３项开始,红唇高等３项指标在１８岁后开始出现明显性差。唇高等６项指标生长发育曲线随年龄增长上升平缓,无生长发育高峰。口裂宽等５项指标的曲线则随年龄增长上升较陡,有明显的发育高峰。     

介形类的形态学及其环境、功能和分类学意义

化石介形类分类依据--壳体形态,包括壳体的大小、形状、装饰和诸如毛孔、叠覆、似犁状构造、喙、铰合构造等构造特征都与介形类的栖息环境,包括地理、气候(季节、纬度等)、水体的深度、化学性质和稳定程度,食物的富集程度和群落的组成及个体数量以及性别息息相关.因此,正确理解介形类的形态学特征及其功能学,不仅能揭示介形类的生活习性,推测化石介形类的生活环境,从而为古环境和古群落生态重建提供依据,而且可以提高化石介形类个体发育、系统分类和演化研究结果的可靠性.     

THE OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF ATROPINESTERASE,AND THE SPECIFICITY OF TROPINESTERASES

Atropinesterase was found to exist in approximately one out of every four rabbits, and no relation could be observed between the incidence of the enzyme and season, sex, color, age, or weight. The occurrence of the enzyme was also shown to be unrelated to that of cholinesterase. The distribution of atropinesterase in the blood and organs of rabbits was studied; the animals devoid of the enzyme in their blood contained no demonstrable activity in any of the organ extracts tested. The presence of atropinesterase in frog liver, and its absence from the serum, has been confirmed. Hydrolysis of homatropine, but not atropine, by guinea pig liver was observed, while the serum was without action on either of the compounds. On this basis the possibility arises that guinea pig liver contains a homatropinesterase enzyme separate from atropinesterase. It was shown that lack of atropinesterase activity in certain rabbits is not likely to be due to the presence of a naturally occurring inhibitor. It has been demonstrated that contrary to previous indications neither fresh egg white nor yolk possess atropinesterase activity. The specificity of tropinesterases was investigated and evidence was presented for the possible existence of two distinct enzymes, cocainesterase and tropacocainesterase.     

EFFECTS OF PHOTOPERIOD AND KIND OF SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHT ON GROWTH,FLOWERING, AND STEM FASCIATION OF CELOSIA

Piringer , A. A., and H. A. Borthwick . (U.S.D.A., Beltsville, Md.) Effects of photoperiod and kind of supplemental light on growth, flowering and stem fasciation of Celosia. Amer. Jour. Bot. 48(7): 588–592. Illus. 1961.—Four cultivars of Celosia argentea L. var. cristata were grown on photoperiods ranging from 8 hr to continuous light. Supplemental low-intensity incandescent light was used to extend 8 hr of natural light and provide the given photoperiod. In all cultivars, short main stems occurred on photoperiods of 12 or fewer hours and long main stems, due to more nodes, on photoperiods of 16 or more hours. Flowering was a nonobligate short-day response in all cultivars. Plants of certain cultivars tended to have shorter stems and flower later when 8 hr of fluorescent instead of incandescent light was used to provide the 16-hr photoperiod. In 3 of the cultivars studied, photoperiods of 16 or more hours induced marked stem fasciation.     

THE MORPHOLOGY AND RELATIONSHIPS OF RHODEA,TELANGIUM, TELANGIOPSIS,AND HETERANGIUM

This study deals with four form or organ genera from the Upper Mississippian (Chester Series) of the Illinois Basin, and provides evidence that they were produced by a single natural genus with gymnospermous affinity. The plant remains—compressions, impressions, petrifactions, and specimens that combine compression or impression with petrifaction—allow examination of both external morphology and internal anatomy. The specimens include foliage corresponding to Rhodea, stems and petioles corresponding to Heterangium, and synangiate fructifications corresponding to either Telangium or Telangiopsis. The stems and foliage are considered parts of the same plant because of the identity of the anatomical and cuticular features of petioles attached to stem and those petioles with attached foliage. The fertile material is regarded as part of the same plant because: (1) The anatomy of axes of the fertile specimens is like that of the sterile specimens. (2) A single specimen may contain both sterile Rhodea-type axes and fertile regions. (3) Axes bearing synangia have the same size and patterns of divisions as the sterile foliage. Features that indicate lyginopterid affinities include: (1) Equal forking of the petiole. (2) Presence of fiber bands in the outer cortex and sclerotic nests in the inner part of the cortex. (3) Crowded circular bordered pits on the lateral walls of the metaxylem tracheids. (4) The presence of a small amount of secondary xylem. A variety of structural details of the stem and petiole suggest the genus Heterangium. The phyletic position of the plant that produced Rhodea, Telangium, Telangiopsis, and Heterangium is reviewed in light of such discoveries as the presence of a planated frond that lacks a lamina and the presence of both monolete and trilete microspores in a single synangium.     

RELATIONSHIPS OF SEYMOURIA, DIADECTES, AND CHELONIA

Evidence now available supports the concept of close relationshipbetween the seymouriamorphs and diadectids, with the lattera specialized offshoot of the former. Diadectes itself clearlyis not a progenitor of Chelonia. The seymouriamorphdiadectidcomplex may be a sterile line, except for the gephyrostegidswhich, originating very early among seymouriamorphs, may haveled to true reptiles. There is some evidence, mostly highly tentative, that procolophonsand their probable descendants, the pareiasaurs, may have arisenfrom the non-gephyrostegid seymouriamorph stock. Chelonia couldhave found their ancestery within the procolophons or pareiasaurs.If this is the case, and only additional study can confirm ordeny it, then the concept of the Parareptilia, as proposed earlier(Olson, 1947), may retain much of its original meaning, withthe Diadectidae, however, far removed from the ancestry of theChelonia.