Wall hydroxyproline and growth of georeactive roots (Zea mays L.)

Summary For the growing maize roots the increase of the content of wall hydroxyproline was related to a decrease of the root elongation and vice-versa. For the georeactive roots the wall hydroxyproline level was lower in the upper part which elongates more than the lower part containing more wall hydroxyproline.     

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids inDanaus plexippus L. andDanaus chrysippus L.

Summary Danaus plexippus L. andDanaus chrysippus L. have been found to store pyrrolizidine alkaloids obtained from adult food plants and it is suggested that the alkaloids contribute to the unpalatability of the butterflies to potential predators.Acknowledgment. We thank Dr.C. C. J. Culvenor for rearing some of the butterflies andJ. M. Smith for plant collection. The plants were identified by the national Herbarium, Melbourne.     

Neoplasms inLumbricus terrestris L.

Zusammenfassung Cancerogene Chemikalien oder Röntgenstrahlen verursachten am Regenwurm (Lumbricus terrestris) verschiedene neoplastisch aussehende Beschädigungen.     

Anthocyanins inDioscorea alata L.

Résumé Trois arthocyanidines acylées ont été extraits de tubercules d'une variété deDioscorea alata L. des Antilles. Tous 3 sont des glycosides de la cyanidine: le pigment principal est la cyanidine-3-gentiobioside acylée d'acide ferrulique; les 2 autres pigments secondaires sont semblables aux cyanidine-3-glycosides acylées d'acide ferrulique.     

Cytochromeh fromAplysia depilans L.

Riassunto Nell'epatopancreas di due Gasteropodi marini:Aplysia depilans eA. limacina è presente un emocromogeno assai simile al citocromoh di Helix. Il pigmento è stato estratto e purificato e le sue proprietà fisiche, chimiche e biologiche sono state confrontate con quelle dell'emoproteina di Helix.     

Anthocyanins ofDioscorea alata L.

Résumé Trois anthocyanines ont été extraits de tubercules d'une variété de l'ignameD. alata à chair pourpre. Tous les 3 sont des glycosides de la cyanidine: le pigment principal est le cyanidine-3,5-diglucoside.     

Bergapten inDictamnus albus L.

Zusammenfassung Die Isolierung von Bergapten (5-Methoxy-Psoralen) ausDictamnus albus L. wird beschrieben. Die photosensibilisierende Wirkung der Inhaltsstoffe dieser Pflanze nach UV-Bestrahlung auf die menschliche Haut ist hauptsächlich auf dieses Furocoumarin zurückzuführen.     

Flavonoide ausVitex agnus castus L.

Summary Leaves ofVitex agnus castus L. and of related species which are said to have hormonelike activities contain three flavonoids: casticin and luteolin-7-D-glucoside and aD-glucoside of an unknown 5-hydroxy-flavone derivative.     

Neurosecretory cells inArtemia salina L.

Zusammenfassung Mit der Gömöri-Technik wurden beiArtemia drei Typen neurosektretorischer Zellen nachgewiesen. Im Gehirn sind grosse, ovale Zellen mit vakuolisiertem Cytoplasma vorhanden, von denen einige grosse Axone besitzen. Der 2. Typus ist kleiner und weist keine zum Augenstiel führenden Fortsätze auf. Der 3. Typus liegt als traubenförmige Gruppen von Zellen im X-Organ des Augenstiels. Wahrscheinlich ist ventral am Gehirn ein Depotorgan für das Sekret des 1. Typus vorhanden. Die Beziehung dieser Zellen zur parthenogenetischen Vermehrung der Art wird untersucht.     

Pistia stratiotes L. in Nigerian waters

Summary Pistia stratiotes L., a perennial water weed found in natural water bodies in Nigeria, removes organic and inorganic nutrients as it grows and spreads in the waters. In a lake which received a variety of pollutants, the plant reduced oxidizable organic matter (4-h permanganate value) by 61%, the biochemical oxygen demand by 85.3%, ammonia nitrogen by 95.3% and water soluble phosphorus by 85%. The plant also removed other mineral matter.     

Asymmetry and yield inCocos nucifera L.

Zusammenfassung Die Blätter der Kokospalme (Cocos nucifera L.) sind in links- oder rechtsdrehenden Spiralen angeordnet. Zählungen an einem grossen Material indischer und nichtindischer Palmen (3028 bzw. 13842 Bäume) ergab ein geringfügiges Überweigen der linksdrehenden Blattspiralen (52,05% bzw. 52,90%). Der Drehsinn der Spiralen erwies sich, wie Kreuzungsversuche zeigten, als genetisch nicht fixiert. In fünfjährigem Feldversuch (1955–1960) lieferten Palmen mit linksdrehenden Blattspiralen einen signifikant grösseren Ertrag an Kokosnüssen.     

Marmesin or nodakenetin inFicus carica L.

Resumen Marmesina, o su isómero óptico nodakenetina, fue identificada en hojas de higuera (F. carica) y su presencia en una planta rica en psoraleno y bergapteno favorece la hipótesis de que tal dihidrofurocumarina actúa como precursor natural en la biosíntesis de furocumarinas lineales.     

Zur Ultrastruktur des Herzschlauches vonCiona intestinalis L.

Summary The electron microscope structure of sectioned heart walls ofCiona intestinalis L. is described. The heart wall consists of one-layered epithelial muscle cells with cross-striated myofibrills, elongated long-shaped mitochondria and various cytoplasmic components.     

Irritant resiniferonol derivatives from EgyptianThymelaea hirsuta L.

Summary Two new aromatic derivatives of 5, 12-dihydroxy-6, 7-epoxy-resiniferonol were isolated from the leaves and twigs ofThymelea hirsuta L. (fam. Thymelaeaceae). These compounds were assigned the structures 12-O-cinnamoyl-5-hydroxy-6, 7-epoxyresiniferonol-9, 13, 14-ortho benzoate 1 and 12-O-heptadecenoyl-5-hydroxy-6, 7,-epoxy-resiniferonol-9, 13, 14-ortho benzoate 2. Both compounds induced erythema of mouse ears in a dose of 0.1 g per ear.Acknowledgments. S. Ismail and M. El-Missiry are grateful to the Royal Society for a travel and support grant.     

Tumor promoting constituent ofEuphorbia serrata L. latex

Summary Euphorbia serrata latex has initially ingenol-3-palmitate, which by action of silica gel is converted to ingenol-20-palmitate. The former is responsible for the irritant and cocarcinogenic activity of the latex on mouse ear and on mice back skin.     

Hermidin,a chromogen fromMercurialis perennis L.

Summary Aqueous extracts ofMercurialis perennis L. contain a chromogen (hermidin) shown to be 3,6-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-1-methyl-2-pyridinone (2). The transient blue color formed by atmospheric oxidation of these extracts is due to a radical-anion and the final yellow-brown color is due to dimeric oxidation products.Acknowledgment. I thank Professor R.H. Thomson for his interest.     

Mutagenesis with ethyl methanesulphonate inNigella damascena L.

Résumé Des graines deNigella damascena ont été traitées par des doses d'EMS allant de 0,1 à 0,3 g/100 ml/4–5 h. On a pu confirmer qu'aux doses utilisées, l'EMS n'exerce que peu d'effet sur les chromosomes. Cependant, l'adjonction d'une certaine quantité de cation cuivre accroît très fortement l'effet au niveau chromosomique. On a étudié la stérilité induite par les différents traitements à la génération traitée et le taux de mutations au cours de la génération ultérieure. L'adjonction d'une certaine quantité de cuivre n'influence que faiblement la fertilité mais accroît le taux de mutations. Comparée à d'autres plantes, la nigelle est particulièremen sensible aux traitements.     

Immunocytology of alpha-endorphin positive hypothalamic fibers of Carassius auratus L. and Cyprinus carpio L.]

An immunocytological study of the basal hypothalamus of Carassius auratus and Cyprinus carpio with an alpha-endorphin antiserum shows the different nerve processes belonging probably to the immunoreactive cells of the lateral part of the N.L.T. According to their pathways, two main fibre tracts have been distinguished: many fluorescent fibres converge towards the pituitary gland into which they enter, other fibres run caudally through the tuber towards the nucleus tuberis inferior (Baumgarten and Braak) where they could not be followed further.