Purple Streaks Research Articles

Unravelling the role of iron and manganese oxides in colouring Late Antique glass by micro-XANES and micro-XRF spectroscopies

This research aims to understand colouring technologies in 5th–7th centuries glass imported to Atlantic Britain by correlating the iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) ratios and oxidation states with colour. Despite having a similar matrix chemical composition and concentrations of Fe and Mn oxides, these vessels display different colours (from green to yellow/amber, sometimes with purple streaks). Colour changes can be induced by controlling the reduction-oxidation reactions that occur during glass production, which are influenced by the raw materials, furnace and melt atmosphere, and recycling. To evaluate these parameters, reference glasses were prepared, following the composition of Late Antique archaeological glass recovered from Tintagel (UK) and Whithorn (UK). A corpus of archaeological and experimental glass samples was analysed using bulk Fe and Mn K-edge x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy, micro-XANES and micro x-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) at beamline ID21, at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. Fe and Mn XANES spectra of the archaeological glass indicate that Fe and Mn are in a similar oxidation state in all the yellow samples, predominantly Fe3+ and Mn2+. No detectable difference in Mn and Fe oxidation state occurs in the purple streaks compared to the yellow glass bulk but μ-XRF maps of the distribution of Fe and Mn show that Mn is more concentrated in the purple streaks. This indicates that the purple colour of the streaks is mainly due to a higher Mn/Fe ratio and persistence of more oxidised manganese in the purple areas, even though it is difficult to detect. Many archaeological fragments appear pale green in transmitted light but amber in reflected light. XANES studies detected the presence of surface layers where manganese is more oxidised. This layer is believed to scatter transmitted and reflected light differently and might be responsible for the optical features of the archaeological glass.

American Girl Dolls as Professionals

American Girl Dolls as Professionals

POLLINATION ECOLOGY, BREEDING SYSTEMS AND SEED DISPERSAL IN PASSIFLORA FOETIDA L. (PASSIFLORACEAE), A PERENNIAL HERBACEOUS CLIMBER WEED IN SOUTHERN PARTS OF ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA.

Passiflora foetida L. (Passifloraceae) is an herbaceous climber weed; grows up to 1.5 - 6.5m tall occur in riverbeds, wastelands, forest floors, crop fields, and roadsides, ascend about 4 to 10 m (13 to 32 feet) tall, exhibit peak flowering in July to December; produce white flowers marked with a ring of radially oriented purple streaks nectar guide, the flower opens along with sunrise and closes the same day noon. It exhibits three kinds of stigma positions in the same plant with different frequencies which determined the fertility rate of flower 1. Stigma below the anthers 64% (fully curved), 2. Stigmas above the anthers 16% (no curvature), 3. Stigmas above anthers 20% (partially curved). P. foetida flower shows both self-pollination and Cross-pollination. Xylocopa latipas sp. visits the flowers frequently among all of the forages and the Stigmas curved below the anthers produce height fruit set (68%) and seed set (82.14%). The fruits and seeds spread far destinations by animals (Zoochory). It cultivates in agricultural fields for their ornamental flowers, edible fruits, and pharmaceutical uses. The present study explored ecological importance, reproductive ecology and the pollinator interaction of the plant.

Where the West Begins

Where the West Begins Bradley Bazzle (bio) Jacob gripped the charcoal like a tool, not like a pencil. He drew in confident, unbroken lines. He kept his eyes off his drawing and on the model, a seated man. The shape of the man’s body was unusual, long and thin but paunched, like a cat held up by its forelegs, and with the same sherbet-colored hair as certain cats. Jacob had recognized the man right away, from a sculpture class he’d taken, but he doubted the man recognized him. He was taller now. His jaw was darkened by hair he had to shave every other day, to keep the skin smooth the way he liked. He was seventeen. The man’s small, squinty eyes kept fluttering closed, and his body began to look as though it had been punctured and was deflating. Jacob didn’t want to embarrass the man, but there was his drawing to consider. Next time the teacher visited his easel he planned to suggest to her, discreetly, that they take an unscheduled break. If the break was short, he could keep working; he wouldn’t have to worry about who to talk to, or how to escape the room unnoticed, or where on the deserted college campus to wander. In addition to Jacob, there were four other students, two boys and two girls, all of them rising seniors who had to take the class as a prereq for AP Art. Jacob was the only student from his own school, which was the ritziest in Forth Worth. The other two boys went to a Catholic school. One, Bobby Ray, had a muscular body that made a striking contrast with his smooth round face. His name could be seen on billboards throughout the Metroplex, since he shared it with his father, who owned car dealerships. Bobby Ray spent breaks smoking cigarettes in a car with the other Catholic-school boy, Kyle, who had acne and wore his pants so low that he had to wear suspenders beneath his oversized T-shirts. As for the girls, Nina seemed friendly but was intimidatingly stylish. She had purple streaks in her hair and a nose ring, and oddly shaped blouses that she may have sewn herself, with patches of a lacy material that showed the tan flesh of her sides and back. Nina spent breaks chatting with the teacher as though the two were old friends, and sometimes they were joined by the second girl, Clarissa. Clarissa had long blond hair that, combined with her equanimity, made Jacob think of hippies in old movies. She was thin and wore flip-flops that emphasized her spidery pale toes. Of all the other students, Clarissa was the one Jacob could imagine befriending. She had the same car as his, a navy blue Ford Explorer, which might provide an ice-breaker if they found themselves in the parking lot at the same time. Nice [End Page 114] car, he might joke. But what if she was embarrassed by the car? Jacob was embarrassed. Recently, the boy behind the counter at the yogurt shop had asked Jacob, “Did your dad buy that for you?” Driving home, Jacob had formulated a lie (“He helped me with it, yeah”), but in that moment all he could say was yes, yes he did, then pay with his father’s money for his cone of frozen yogurt. Now he fantasized about getting a job at the same yogurt shop and making friends with the boy while pretending, with dignity, that the boy hadn’t made the comment about his car. But Jacob already had a job. He was getting paid ten dollars an hour to scan every file at his father’s company and save the scanned files onto a computer. There was mention of a lawsuit, but the real reason for the job, Jacob’s father insisted, was to enter the digital age. Soon there would be no more paper files, no more file-cabinets, no more rooms full of banker boxes. Imagine all that space! But Jacob didn’t care about the digital age. The rote unstapling, scanning, and restapling made him feel as...

FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH LEAF SPOTS OF SUGAR CANE (Saccharum officinarum L)

Survey for fungi associated with leaf spots of sugarcane in Chittoor and Nellore districts of Andhra Pradesh during 1986-87 revealed that 26 species of fungi belonging to 10 genera were found associated with leaf spots of sugarcane. The leaf spots found were minor ones and their incidence was meagre ranging from 1 to 3 per cent in both the districts. In common, the incidence was more in ratoon crop and also in the plant crop aged more than 6 months. The different types of minor leaf spots found on sugar­cane in the 2 districts of Chittoor and Nellore were des­cribed as : Spindle-shaped spots; dark brown linear blotches; reddish brown spindles; reddish brown lesions; Phyllachora leaf stripes; dark brown elongated lesions; dark purple streaks; dark purple midrib streaks; dark red linear lesions and dark red midribs. The morphology and taxonomy of the fungi isolated from the leaf spots were studied and the fungi were identified as belonging to 26 species classifiable into 10 genera

Alternative Splicing in the Anthocyanin Fruit Gene Encoding an R2R3 MYB Transcription Factor Affects Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Tomato Fruits

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruits are typically red at ripening, with high levels of carotenoids and a low content in flavonoids. Considerable work has been done to enrich the spectrum of their health-beneficial phytochemicals, and interspecific crosses with wild species have successfully led to purple anthocyanin-colored fruits. The Aft (Anthocyanin fruit) tomato accession inherited from Solanum chilense the ability to accumulate anthocyanins in fruit peel through the introgression of loci controlling anthocyanin pigmentation, including four R2R3 MYB transcription factor-encoding genes. Here, we carried out a comparative functional analysis of these transcription factors in wild-type and Aft plants, and tested their ability to take part in the transcriptional complexes that regulate the biosynthetic pathway and their efficiency in inducing anthocyanin pigmentation. Significant differences emerged for SlAN2like, both in the expression level and protein functionality, with splicing mutations determining a complete loss of function of the wild-type protein. This transcription factor thus appears to play a key role in the anthocyanin fruit pigmentation. Our data provide new clues to the long-awaited genetic basis of the Aft phenotype and contribute to understand why domesticated tomato fruits display a homogeneous red coloration without the typical purple streaks observed in wild tomato species.

First complete description of nest, eggs, and nestlings of the Squamate Antbird, Myrmoderus squamosus (Aves: Thamnophilidae)

Even though nest architecture has been useful for phylogenetic inferences among the Thamnophilidae (Aves: Passeriformes), the nests of only three out of five species ofMyrmoderus(Ridgway, 1909) are known to science. Here we describe the nests, eggs, and nestling of the Squamate AntbirdMyrmoderussquamosus(Pelzeln, 1868). Two nests were bulky bottom-supported cups, measuring 7.3 and 12 cm in maximum outside diameter, with a noticeably smaller egg cup, and they were placed within the crown of short, broad-leafed plants. Eggs were short-oval, with chalky white background color, and purple blotches and streaks more concentrated in the large end. One nestling was dark reddish grey, with bluish white feet, pinkish gray tarsi, and a blackish bill with bright yellow rictal flanges. In face of the great diversity of nest types found among the Thamnophilidae, we concluded that the nest ofM.squamosuswas similar to those of other congeners, giving support to this currently phylogenetically-defined genus.

Aristolochia nuichuaensis (subg. Siphisia, Aristolochiaceae), a New Species, an Updated Key and a Checklist to the Species of Siphisia in Vietnam

We describe and illustrate Aristolochia nuichuaensis (Aristolochiaceae) as a new species from southern Vietnam. It has a cordate leaf blade, an up to 16(20)-cm-long inflorescence axis, a strongly constricted, oblong cylindrically-shaped upper part of tube, with outer surface uniformly purple, inner surface uniformly white, a campanulate limb, 4.5–5.0 cm in diam., with non-revolute lobes, a whitish outer surface of limb with visible purple streaks, a white inner surface of limb with sunken dark-purple streaks and verrucoses, an elliptic and white throat, and a gynostemium with three acute lobes. Its phenology, ecology, and comparisons with some morphologically similar species are presented. The diagnostic characters place A. nuichuaensis in the subgenus Siphisia. We also provide an identification key and a checklist with information on the distributions of the known Siphisia species in Vietnam.

Colinowensite, BaCuSi2O6, a new mineral from the Kalahari Manganese Field, South Africa and new data on wesselsite, SrCuSi4O10

AbstractA new silicate, colinowensite, BaCuSi2O6, has been found in the Wessels mine, Kalahari Manganese Field, South Africa. It is associated with effenbergerite, wesselsite, lavinskyite, scottyite, diegogattaite, as well as with pectolite, quartz, aegirine, richterite, minerals of the garnet group and a number of different manganese and iron oxides, especially hausmannite and hematite. The mineral was named for the mineral collector and finder of the new species, Colin R. Owens, of Somerset West, South Africa. Colinowensite is brittle, with uneven fracture, and the estimated Mohs hardness is ∼4. It occurs as subhedral crystals <100 μm in size. The forms {100} and {110} are observed while {001} is always present in cleavage plates. The calculated density is 4.236 g cm–3. It is the natural analogue of the synthetic pigmentreferred to as Chinese or Han purple, which is found on artifacts from ancient and imperial China. The mineral is of dark blue to purple colour, with a purple streak, and is uniaxial (–), with ω = 1.740 (20), ε = 1.735 (20) (420 nm) and ω = 1.745 (20), ε = 1.730(20) (650 nm). The lustre is vitreous and no fluorescence is observed under either shortwave or longwave ultraviolet radiation. Avery strong pleochroism occurs from purple along the c axis to blue in a perpendicular direction. Colinowensite is not soluble in acids except HF. Electron microprobe analyses gave an average composition (wt.%) of CuO 22.53, BaO 43.43 and SiO2 34.04 yielding the empirical formula (based on 6 O a.p.f.u.) BaCuSi2O6. The new mineral is tetragonal, space group I41/acd with Z = 16, anda = 9.967(1), c = 22.290 (2) Å. Colinowensite is a cyclosilicate with [Si4O12]8– 4-membered single rings, arranged in sheets parallel to (001). The structure is further characterized by CuO4 squares sharing corners with four neighbouring silicate rings within a sheet. Ba2+ cations are bonded to ten O atoms in irregular coordination. Average Si–O, Cu–O and Ba–O bond lengths are 1.619, 1.934 and 2.943 Å, respectively. Colinowensite belongs to subdivision 9. CE of the Strunz Mineralogical Tables. In addition, based on single-crystal X-ray work, new structural data for wesselsite of chemical composition Sr0.9Ba0.1CuSi4O10 are provided.

Impatiens siangensis (Balsaminaceae), a new species from Arunachal Pradesh, India

Impatiens siangensis Gogoi, a new species, is described and illustrated from Arunachal Pradesh, India. The new species differs from I. marianae Hooker by the absence of white blotches on the upper leaf surface, flowers only partially purple, bracts ovate, glabrous, lateral sepals glabrous, dorsal petal glabrous, navicular, lower sepal with straight purple streaks and spur almost straight. The new species differs from I. porrecta Wallich in having stems, leaves, and floral parts glabrous, stems branched, flowers partially purple, lower sepal navicular with straight purple streaks and spur almost straight.

First Report of Freesia sneak virus in Commercial Freesia hybrida Cultivars in Korea

In order to investigate the virus infection rate of commercial freesia cultivars in early February 2013, 19 freesia cultivars showing necrotic purple speckles or streaks on leaves, purple streaks parallel to the midrib, and necrotic speckles on leaves were collected from three different regions (Suwon and Icheon in Gyeonggi Province and Jeonju in North Jeonla Province) and used for virus detection. Nucleic acid extracts were analyzed for detection of major freesia-infecting viruses including Freesia sneak virus (FreSV) by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR with specific primer pairs. The FreSV CP gene was amplified using primer pair FreSV-F (5'-TTAGATAGTGAATCCATAAGCTGC-3') and FreSV-R (5'-ATGTCTGGAAAATACTCCGTCCAA-3'). The approximately 1.3-kb fragment of the FreSV amplified product was cloned and sequenced (GenBank Accession No. KC771891 to 98). The nucleotide sequences of CP gene of FreSV korean isolates showed 99.2 to 99.8% similarity to other FreSV isolates DQ885455, FJ807730, and GU071089, which are registered in GenBank. FreSV was detected from 71.7% of 138 plants tested while the infection rate of Freesia mosaic virus (FreMV) was 34.8%. Neither Bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV) nor Tobacco rattle virus (TRV) were detected from any plants tested in this study. In certain cultivars, such as 'Bluebau' (II) and 'Pretty women,' most plants planted in the field showed purple streak symptoms on the leaves. In conclusion, FreSV was detected from some symptomatic freesia cultivars showing purple streak or speckles on leaves with or without necrotic spots and necrotic speckles on leaves. FreSV is currently widespread in Korea and some freesia plants were mixed infected with FreMV. FreSV has been occurring in the Netherlands for over 40 years (2). It is a plant virus in the family Ophioviridae and Ophiovirus genus. Once it occurs in freesia plantation fields, eradication is almost impossible because FreSV is transmitted by zoospores of Olpidium brassicae, which is a soilborne root-infecting fungus (3). Resting spores of O. brassicae can remain dormant in the soil and can be infective for 20 years (1). To produce virus-free freesia plants, growers should consider whether or not their fields are contaminated with O. brassicae carrying FreSV. To our knowledge, this is the first report of FreSV in freesia plants in Korea.

Alectra chitrakutensis (Orobanchaceae) in Bundi District, Rajasthan, India

While surveying floral diversity of Bundi district in southeastern Rajasthan, we noticed, on 6 March 2008, a parasite on the roots of Vitex negundo L.. The parasitic plant was seen at Rain village (25º3823.10N, 75º4034.09E; 286 m a.s.l.) in Hindoli tehsil of Bundi District, 22 km north from Bundi, on a field bund. Terrain of the field was quite flattish having a small rainy seasonal nallah on its eastern edge that is close to a government primary school building. Vitex negundo L., Woodfordia fruticosa (L.) Kurz and Mimosa himalayana Gamble were commonly growing along the banks of the nallah and on bunds of the field. The site was continuously checked during winter, summer and rainy seasons to observe the species’s growth pattern until 2011. The parasitic plant starts appearing in the root zone of V. negundo at the end of the rainy season, and fruits at the beginning of the summer season. Winter is the best time to see this plant when it flowers massively. This plant is an erect herb, with purple scale-like leaves and yellow, sessile flowers in a terminal raceme. The three purple streaks on each petal are diagnostic. Aerial parts of young plants initially appear greenish-white, but soon turn purple. The stems are rhizomatous with numerous axillary buds. On digging, fresh rhizomes are orange-yellow in colour. After drying, they become black. The species was identified as Alectra chitrakutensis (Rau) R. Prasad & R.D. Dixit, 1993. Locally it is known as negad ki bunti.

Classification of Chinese Wintersweet ( Chimonanthus praecox) Cultivars Supported by Pollen Morphology

To classify the Chinese wintersweet ( Chimonanthus praecox) cultivars and to study their evolution based on pollen morphology. Pollens of 12 representative wintersweet cultivars were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Q-cluster analysis was carried out based on the observation results. Results are as follows: (1) The pollen grains were 2- lobed circular in polar view, elliptic in equatorial view. The pollen shapes were spheroidal or super-spheroidal by P/E (polar axis length/equatorial axis length) criteria. (2) According to pollen exine ornamentation, it was indicated that white wintersweet is most original. Yellow floral group could be classified into three subgroups: purple-hearted, halo-hearted and yellow-hearted type. Their evolutionary relationship was purple-hearted→halo-hearted→yellow-hearted. (3) Different wintersweet cultivars showed a different exine sculpture. Palynological analysis could be used in the classification of wintersweet cultivars. The result of cluster analysis indicated that the cultivars could be classified into three groups with a similarity coefficient of 0.41. Each group had similar pollen exine sculpture. It was found that the palynological classification coincided well with morphological classification. Our results support the suggestion that purple streaks or patches of inner-petals should be served as the first-order criteria in wintersweet classification.

Necrotising fasciitis with Escherichia coli

A 29-year-old man living in Beijing presented with a 2-day history of constant excruciating leg pain and a fever of 40°C. The pain was fi rst noted on the lower abdominal wall, and spread rapidly to the bilateral lower extremities, with diff use swelling and violaceous bullae. 2 hours after presentation in the emergency room, with increasingly severe pain, he became unconscious. Before admission the patient had a 1-year history of nephritic syndrome. Examination showed a temperature of 38·4°C, a pulse of 140 beats per min, respiration 28 breaths per min, and a blood pressure of 100/51 mmHg. Rhonchi were found in the lungs. There was obvious peripheral oedema with purple streaks all over the body. Flaring red indurate swelling with severe tender spread out from abdominal wall to the bilateral low extremities scattered with reddish-purple discoloration. There were bullae on the calf and dorsal regions. Blisters and erosions developed on the groin and scrotum (fi gure, A). He had a white blood cell count of 10·3×10 cells per L with 81% band cells, an ESR of 66 mm/h, a creatinine level of 171 μmol/L, and a creatine kinase level of 1135 IU/L. Urinanalysis showed proteinuria (14·7 g/day). Bullous needle aspiration detected bacteria, and Escherichia coli was recovered from fascia fl uid on both sides of the legs and feet. The antibiotic sensitivity pattern of all cultures were similar. Skin biopsies showed necrosis from dermis to fascia, and small-vessel thrombi (fi gure, B). The patient was fi rst treated with penicillin and then meropenem (0·5 g every 12 h) according to in-vitro antibiotic susceptibility results. Low molecular weight heparin (0·4–0·8 mL/d for 7 d), dexamethasone (10 mg/d for 3 d), immunoglobulin (5 g/d for 10 d), and diuretics were used for rescue. The wounds were debrided and then covered with self-split thin skin grafts. The patient was transferred to the nephritic department and was given prednisone (40 mg/d) for the treatment of nephritic syndrome. On follow-up, he had normal skin with mild scarring and no disfi guration, and now lives a normal life. Necrotising fasciitis is a life-threatening skin infection. Most cases are caused by virulent forms of group A streptococci, often referred to as “fl esh-eating bacteria”. The case presented here shows that E coli is another fl esh-eating bacterium. Lancet Infect Dis 2006; 6: 456

Mainestay: A high-yielding, round white potato variety for fresh market

The Mainestay potato variety is high-yielding and late-maturing producing attractive, round, white-skinned, white-fleshed tubers with medium-shallow eyes. Its major use is expected to be as a maincrop tablestock variety. Mainestay appearance ratings are similar to those of Katahdin, and greening in Mainestay tubers is less than in Kennebec. Most boil and bake qualities were rated equal to Katahdin in at least half of the tests, and Mainestay usually has a low incidence of internal defects. However, purple streak, heat necrosis, vascular discoloration, and heat sprouts have been seen on occasion. Mainestay tubers do not show the net necrosis caused by potato leafroll virus, and have shown very little hollow heart or blackspot bruising. Mainestay is susceptible to common scab and acid scab, but moderately resistant to verticillium wilt (Verticillium, albo-atrum andV. dahliae), early blight (Alternaria solani), rhizoctonia (Rhizoctonia solani), dry rot (Fusarium sambucinum), and pink rot (Phytophthora erythroseptica). It is moderately susceptible to the common race of late blight (Phytophthora infestans). Mainestay tubers are slow to mature after vine kill, and additional time is required prior to harvest in order to allow for proper periderm development and to reduce storage losses.

Coastal Chip: A chipping potato variety resistant to heat stress

Coastal Chip is a medium-late maturing potato chipping variety suitable for production in locations along the east coast of the United States where heat stress reduces internal quality of tubers. It yields as well as the variety Atlantic but is not as susceptible to heat necrosis. The specific gravity of Coastal Chip averages approximately 0.010 less than Atlantic at locations subject to heat stress. In the seed producing areas of Maine it’s specific gravity averages approximately 0.005 less than that of Atlantic. Tubers are round, netted-skinned, and have moderately deep stem and bud ends. Chips from Coastal Chip are slightly lighter in color than those produced by Atlantic. In mid-Atlantic states where heat stress adversely affects chip color Coastal Chip processes into chips for a slightly longer period of time after harvest than does Atlantic. Glycoalkaloid content of Coastal Chip averaged 7.9 mg/100 g fresh tissue. Sunburned (green) tubers of Coastal Chip develop purple streaks that remain following processing. Hills must be properly covered to reduce losses. Coastal Chip is resistant to race A of the golden nematode (Globodera rostochiensis) and potato virus A. It is tolerant to Verticillium wilt, more susceptible to common scab and Rhizoctonia than Atlantic and susceptible to potato virus X.

Dilemmas in Practice: Denied More than His Donuts

With cheeks sunken and four days' growth of white whiskers sprouted, James Dawson lies lethargically on the bed. His eyes are closed and his mouth is set in a thin line. Crisscrossed purple streaks mark his cheeks and neck-targets for the radiation therapy he's been receiving over the past several weeks. Mr. Dawson's neck is a geometric pattern of tendons and veins defining deep hollows where pools of spilled milk accumulate when we feed him. His bony wrists are buckled into sheepskin-lined restraints, their long canvas straps tying him to the bedsprings. Protruding from Mr. Dawson's right lower arm is a plastic needle hub covered by a transparent patch sporting a sticker reading, 8/2, 22 ga, PK. It tells me when his IV was inserted, the size of the needle, and who inserted it. Just the other day, he had a duodenal feeding tube placed so we could pump formula into him 24 hours a day. Perhaps because of the depression and weakness that parallels terminal cancer, perhaps because we couldn't duplicate country cooking, Mr. Dawson still refuses to eat solid food. Unless we keep his hands tied, Mr. Dawson will pull out his IV, just as he has pulled out his feeding tube over and over. He's too weak to stand on a scale, so every day at

Occurrence of Corn Stunt Spiroplasma at Different Elevations in Mexico

A survey of Spiroplasma kunkelii, or corn stunt spiroplasma (CSS), was conducted in Mexico from October 1985 to March 1988 using phase contrast or dark field light microscopy (DFM) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Three types of symptoms were observed: consistently stunted plants whose leaves had well-defined broad chlorotic streaking and that were usually observed at 60-940 m above sea level, plants that were not always stunted but whose leaf margins showed red to purple streaks, and plants that usually were not stunted but whose leaves showed either a diffuse yellow or a chlorotic stripe condition with or without red margins. (…)

Une méthode simple de recherche de Ceratocystis fimbriata f. platani sur arbre en place

A simple method of diagnosing Ceratocystis fimbriata f. platani in standing trees. Bluish or purple streaks are found at the margins of lesions caused by Ceratocystis fimbriata f. platani. These contain the fungus systematically. Cores may be taken with an augur from any such streaks, the core then being cut into discs which are kept in a humid chamber at 20–25°C. C. fimbriata, if present, produces diagnostic endo-conidia after 2–4 days of incubation in 50–90 % of the samples.

RESPONSE OF KALANCHOE TUBIFLORA TO X-RADIATION

A study extending over three and one-half years was made of the vegetative and reproductive growth of Kalanchoe tubiflora, (Harvey) Hamet., a Madagascan succulent of the Crassulaceae. This plant, which grows well in greenhouses of this country particularly during the hot days of late spring and summer, is well adapted to a study of responses to various environmental factors. Studies (2) have been made of its response to different light intensities, different qualities of light as supplied by fluorescent light tubes, supplemental artificial light, and to X-radiation. The present paper will be limited to the response to X-radiation. Plants of this species of Kalanchoe were first seen by the writer in the gardens of the Atkins Institution of the Arnold Arboretum at (Soledad) Cienfuegos, Cuba. The present superintendent, Mr. Frank Walsingham, suggested their probable value for experimental work and made it possible to secure some young plants from Mr. A. C. Jordahn, then associate superintendent of the Fairchild Tropical Garden at Cocoanut Grove, Florida. From these original plants, hundreds have been grown in the University of Colorado greenhouse. Kalanchoe tubiflora has a long slender unbranched stem with spirally arranged leaves. However, vegetative shoots which arise in the region of the terminal inflorescence after the flowers have faded, give old plants a branched appearance. The almost cylindrical leaves which are 4-5 mm. wide and 6-7.5 mm. long are normally strikingly mottled with purple streaks or blotches. Typically the leaf tip has from four to seven small teeth. When the plant is reproducing vegetatively, protuberances extend outward from between the teeth. Clamp (1) refers to the protuberances as leaf claws. At the tip of each claw, develop little plantlets each consisting of a short disc-like stem bearing two pairs of leaves (Fig. 1). While in this two-leaved condition, the plantlets fall to the ground and develop into new individual plants.