SOME ULTRASTRUCTURAL ASPECTS OF METAPHLOEM SIEVE ELEMENTS IN THE AERIAL STEM OF THE HOLOPARASITIC ANGIOSPERM EPIFAGUS VIRGINIANA (OROBANCHACEAE)

A light and electron microscope investigation was conducted on phloem in the aerial stem of Epifagus virginiana (L.) Bart. Tissue was processed at field collection sites in an effort to overcome problems resulting from manipulation. At variance with earlier accounts, Epifagus phloem consists of sieve elements, companion cells, phloem parenchyma cells, and primary phloem fibers. The sieve elements possess simple sieve plates and the phloem is arranged in a collateral type of vascular bundle. In addition, this constitutes the first study on phloem ultrastructure in the aerial stems of a holoparasitic dicotyledon, an entire plant which could be viewed as an “ideal sink.” Epifagus phloem possesses unoccluded sieve plate pores in mature sieve elements and a total lack of P-protein in sieve elements at all stages of development. Mature sieve elements lack nuclei. Plastids were rarely observed in mature sieve elements. Vacuoles with intact tonoplasts were encountered in some mature sieve elements. Otherwise, the ultrastructural features of sieve elements appear to differ little from those described by investigators of non-parasitic species.     

GROWTH IN MEDEOLA VIRGINIANA CLONES I. FIELD OBSERVATIONS

The pattern of clonal growth in Medeola virginiana was mapped over twelve square meters in a successional white pine forest of eastern Massachusetts. From these maps and an additional sample of excavated plants, the distances and angles of divergence of daughter ramets from the base of the parent shoot were measured for 213 plants. All clonal growth parameters were found to be highly variable in the ñeld, with coefficients of variation ranging from 17–92%. The rules describing the pattern of growth of daughter ramets were found to be considerably more complicated than previously reported (Bell, 1974). The mortality of tubers, the natural variation of parameters of growth, and the complex patterns of daughter production all call into question the ability of idealized, deterministic models of growth to predict the form of clones and the position of ramets in the field.     

SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE SITATUNGA IN KENYA

A 16-month study was made of sitatunga in a swamp in western Kenya, with particular reference to distribution within the habitat, daily activity, and food preferences. Absolute figures for density could not be obtained because of observational difficulties, but there was a minimum of 7.3 animals/linear km of swamp, or c. 55/km². The sitatunga preferred areas of swamp adjacent to patches of gallery forest, and areas where there was deep water and a dense growth of tall reeds. They were most active during the first five and last two hours of daylight, and at night. Much of this time was spent feeding. Feeding behaviour and food preferences were studied. The sitatunga usually moved along well-marked tracks through the swamp vegetation; some of these led to beds of flattened plants, raised above water level, which were probably used for resting and for breeding. The latter took place in most months of the year, with a possible peak in November. Calves remained hidden for some weeks after birth. Group size and structure were examined; most sightings were of single animals or groups of two. A majority of these two groupings were composed of adult females. The proportion of immature animals seen indicated a healthy population. Courtship behaviour was observed 18 times and mating once.     

OBSERVATIONS ON SPERM PENETRATION IN THE RAT

The structural aspects of sperm penetration in the rat egg were investigated by electron microscopy. Eggs were recovered at intervals between 8 and 10:30 A.M. from females which had mated during the previous night. The oviducts were flushed with hyaluronidase and the eggs transferred into a 2 per cent osmium tetroxide solution, buffered at pH 7.8. After fixation, the eggs were mounted individually in agar, dehydrated in ethyl alcohol, and embedded in butyl-methyl methacrylate (3:1). The sperm penetrating the egg is covered by a plasma membrane which is present only on the side facing toward the zona pellucida; no membrane is visible on the side facing toward the vitellus. The sperm plasma membrane becomes continuous with the egg plasma membrane and forms a deep fold around the entering sperm. Cross-sections through the sperm midpiece in the perivitelline space show an intact plasma membrane. At the place of entrance, the plasma membrane of the sperm appears to fuse with the egg plasma membrane. After the sperm has penetrated the vitellus, it has no plasma membrane at all. The nuclear membrane is also absent. These observations suggest a new hypothesis for sperm penetration. After the sperm has come to lie on the plasma membrane of the egg, the egg and sperm plasma membranes rupture and then fuse with one another to form a continuous cell membrane over the egg and the outer surface of the sperm. As a result the sperm comes to lie inside the vitellus, leaving its own plasma membrane incorporated into the egg membrane at the surface of the egg.     

被子植物的花化石研究

五十多年前胡骕在研究山东临朐县山旺组的植物化石中,发现有花的化石,仅保存了5个花瓣或仅5个萼片,均难给予确切的分类位置;六十年代我们两次去山旺野外工作,发现为数较多,同样仅保存花瓣或萼片的化石。本文研究的是80年代发现并保存较为完好的花化石。新近李凤麟详细论述了各门类化石,均认为山旺组的地质时代属中中新世。近十余年来,国际上被子植物的花化石的研究进展较快。每次花化石的发现,对研究被子植物种系发生、系统位置及在地史中的演化及演变速率等均是极重要     

人工饲养下白暨豚行为的观察

在豢养条件下,白鱀豚的游泳除背向上正常姿态外,尚有侧游、仰游、滚游、跳跃、直立、浮卧和滑行多种型式。呼吸间隔时间不均匀,最短5秒,最长243秒,呼吸率为109—143次/小时。它的昼夜活动表现出明显的“激烈活动”和“平缓活动”两种状态,后者可能是一种休息方式。     

玉米双受精过程的细胞学观察

1.玉米双受精属于有丝分裂前配子融合的类型。2.授粉后21至24小时,大部分雌、雄性核发生融合。雌、雄性核融合时,雄性核仁的出现存在两种情况,其一是精核染色质逐渐分散的同时出现雄性核仁,其二是精核染色质逐渐分散后,约经2至4小时才出现雄性核仁。3.合子内的雌、雄性核仁若发生融合,一般在合子分裂前进行。合子以一个大核仁的形式进入分裂期;雌、雄性核仁不融合的合子同样可以进入分裂期。授粉后30至33小时,合子进行第一次分裂。合子静止期大约为9小时左右。4.初生胚乳核内的雌、雄性核仁不发生融合。授粉后24至26小时,初生胚乳核进行第一次分裂。初生胚乳核的静止期为2—4小时。5.人工授粉条件下,玉米果穗受精过程的进行有一定的顺序;即自果穗上部逐渐向下部完成受精作用。     

羚牛(Budorcas taxicolor)部分脏器特点的观察

本文对2只羚牛的雌性生殖器官及肝、肾、脾等脏器进行了形态描述,并与黄牛及羊的相应器官进行了比较,为探讨羚牛的分类地位提供了解剖学资料。     

OBSERVATIONS ON THE BASEMENT MEMBRANES IN RAT KIDNEY

Basement membranes in the kidney are made up of a homogeneous matrix. In argyria, silver passes from the blood in the ionic form and diffuses into the kidney basement membranes in which it is precipitated. X-ray diffraction studies of "silver-stained" rat kidneys show that most of the silver in the kidneys is combined with some form of sulfur. Histochemical staining for sulfhydryls and disulfides demonstrates the presence of these groups in basement membranes. It appears that silver ions combine with either or both the sulfhydryl or disulfide groups in the basement membranes and also in mitochondria (when the silver diffuses into a cell).     

LEAF DIMORPHISM IN THE AQUATIC ANGIOSPERM CALLITRICHE HETEROPHYLLA

Depending on the position of the shoot tip relative to the water surface, the aquatic angiosperm Callitriche heterophylla produces either ovate land-form or linear water-form leaves. This paper is concerned with the developmental basis for the leaf dimorphism of this species. Little significant difference is observed between the apical meristems of submerged vs. emergent shoots; moreover, land-form and water-form primordia undergo similar, if not identical, patterns of initial development until they attain a length of 350 to 400 μm. These findings are interpreted to mean that the divergent leaf forms result from the marked sensitivity of the primordia to their respective environments rather than from the mode of their inception. Subsequent growth of the young water-form leaf emphasizes longitudinal extension, while the immature land-form leaf continues balanced expansion in both longitudinal and lateral directions. The lateral growth of the land-form primordium is accomplished in part by a more persistent marginal meristem, but the morphological difference between the two leaf forms is mostly attributable to the difference in the predominant direction of intercalary expansion. In addition, certain anatomical features, such as vasculature, stomates, and cuticle, are much more prominent in mature land-form leaves than in water-form leaves. These anatomical differences seem to represent structural adaptations of each leaf form to the specific physiological requirements of its environment.     

DEVELOPMENT OF THE CUTICULAR LAYERS IN ANGIOSPERM LEAVES

Schieferstein , R. H., and W. E. Loomis . (Iowa State U., Ames.) Development of the cuticular layer in angiosperm leaves. Amer. Jour. Bot. 46(9): 625–635. Illus. 1959.—The cuticularized layers of leaves and other plant surfaces consist of a primary cuticle, formed by the oxidation of oils on exposed cell walls, plus various surface and subsurface wax deposits. The primary cuticle appears to form rapidly on the walls of any living cell which is exposed to air. Surface wax is present on the mature leaves of about half of the 50 or 60 species studied. In general, wax is extruded at random through the newly formed cuticle of young leaves and accumulated in various reticulate to semicrystalline patterns. No wax pores through the cuticle or primary wall can be observed in electron-micrographs of dewaxed mature leaves. Wax accumulations on older leaves are generally subcuticular and may involve the entire epidermal wall. These deposits appear to be of considerably greater ecological significance than those on the surface. Isolated cuticular membranes from Hedera helix increased slightly in permeability to water with age of the leaf, but permeability to 2,4-D decreased 50 times. Evidence based on the patterns of cellulose in primary walls, of surface wax on growing leaves, of the appearance of the cuticle at the margins of growing epidermal cells, of the forms of the cuticle plates digested from growing and older leaves, and of the marginal location of new wax deposits on growing maize leaves is presented to support the thesis that the enlargement of the outer surface of the epidermal cells of leaves occurs at the margins of the surface. Earlier formed cuticle and wax are thus undisturbed during growth. These observations, coupled with evidence for apical growth in fibers, root hairs, etc. suggest that the primary walls of angiosperm cells are formed in specific, localized growth regions, rather than by plastic extension and apposition.