Morphology of germination and seedling development have been studied inNymphaea lotus Auct. varpubescens (Willd) HK. f. and Th. andTrapa natans L. varbispinosa (Roxb.) Makino.Nymphaea germination has been grouped as a separate type, namely,Nymphaeal and that ofTrapa asTrapael. InNymphaea andTrapa seedlings, the extension growth is at the mid portion of the cotyledon (mesocotyl) unlike at its base as in the monocotyledons.

Torilis arvensis is an andromonoecious umbellifer which produces hermaphrodite and staminate flowers in the ratio of 1∶0·36. This figure is recorded for the first time among andromonoecious umbellifers. The species practices geitonogamy on account of weak protandry and little visual impact of its umbels.

Root exudates of different pearl millet varieties showed quantitative differences in organic carbon, reducing sugars, total and amino nitrogen. The growth and nitrogenase activity ofAzospirillum were stimulated by the addition of root exudates in the culture medium. Root exudates were also found to support the growth ofAzospirillum in the rhizosphere. Inoculation withAzospirillum significantly enhanced the root exudation in axenically grown pearl millet plants accompanied by an increase in the permeability of roots. N₂-ase activity of the inoculated plants differed among the varieties and was related to the amount of organic carbon released in the exudates. Addition of extraneous carbon source significantly increased the nitrogenase activity of the roots as the carbon compounds provided by the root exudates appear to be inadequate for the optimum expression of nitrogenase activity. The implications of these results in the pearl millet-Azospirillum association were discussed.

The high order foliar vein sheathing of 40 species representing 6 genera of Cunoniaceae was examined. The type, orientation, distribution, and proportion of the sheathing elements around the veinlet, including the terminal cells, are variable and useful for generic circumscription and subdivision. Terminal cells are tracheoidal or sclereidal types. A general trend towards the formation of specialized sclerenchymatous terminal elements is supported.

The fungal composition of domestic wastes and waste stabilisation pond water samples from two geographically distinct localities—Dharwad and Gulbarga in Karnataka State was studied. Fungi of wastewaters and stabilisation pond at Dharwad comprised of 13 species belonging to 8 genera and 16 species belonging to 11 genera respectively and that of wastewaters at Gulbarga comprised of 19 species belonging to 12 genera. Species belonging to 9 genera were recorded commonly in both the localities. Statistical analysis of the results indicated thatAspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium oxalicum andTrichosporon sp. occurred in all the samples with high percentage of occurrence and high degree of consistency. Occurrence of some of the organisms commonly in two different environments (from the point of organic loading)—wastewaters and stabilisation pond-reflects upon their lymaphilic nature.

In this paper an account of 11 taxa of the genusRamaria (Fr.) Bonorden collected from different localities in the eastern Himalaya and adjoining hills is given. Of the taxa included,Ramaria conjunctipes, Ramaria araiospora var.rubella, Ramaria xanthosperma, Ramaria rubribrunnescens, Ramaria flavigelatinosa, Ramaria flavigelatinosa var.carnisalmonea andRamaria gelatiniaurantia are new records for the Himalayas; whileRamaria rubrogelatinosa, Ramaria brevispora, Ramaria brevispora var.albida andRamaria perbrunnea were not known earlier from the eastern Himalaya.

Comparative morphological and anatomical investigations on the seed of two major pulsesCicer arietinum L. (Desi Chana) andCajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. var.bicolor DC. (Arhar)—vis-a-vis their common adulterant (Lathyrus sativus L. (Khesari Dal)), have yielded several features of value in pin-pointing adulteration in the market samples. Being basically similar in constitution, the seed coat in all the three taxons-comprises (i) a cuticle, (ii) an epidermis, (iii) a hypodermis, and (iv) a mesophyll. While the cuticle is ‘thick and wavy’ inCicer arietinum and ‘thin and smooth’ inCajanus cajan, it is notably ‘thick and dentate’ inLathyrus sativus. The macrosclereids constituting the epidermis and osteosclereids forming the hypodermis provide a set of contrasting features with regard to their shape, size, thickness and lumen/corrugation thereof.