ON THE GEMMJE OF AULACOMNION PALUSTRE. 465 
Note on the Gemme of Aulacomnion palustre, Schwegr. 
By F. O. Bowsr, M.A., F.LS. 
[Read February 7, 1881.] 
Turis moss was found in 1882 growing in consi- 
derable quantities in the propagating-pits at 
Kew, together with Sphagnum. Being there 
kept in a warm and damp atmosphere, it flou- 
rished well, but showed no trace of sexual organs. 
It was, however, found that the ordinary vege- 
tative axes often bore towards their apices 
struetures which are undoubtedly of a foliar 
Fig. 1. 
X13 
nature, and show a special adaptation for effect- 4uIacomnion palustre, 
theupper parts of the 
axes have developed 
as pseudopodia. 
ing the asexual or vegetative reproduction of 
the plant. 
On passing upwards along one of these 
pseudopodia, as those axes of a plant 
are called which have begun to adapt 
themselves to this asexual reproduc- 
tion, there is found a gradual transition 
from the normal oblong-lanceolate leaf, 
with broad base and thin lateral portions, 
to the leaf-gemma, in which the base is 
much narrowed, the flattened expansion 
reduced, and the whole body of a cylin- 
drical or conical form. It may also be 
observed with the naked eye that the 
gemme are of a deeper green colour than 
the normal leaves ; while under the micro- 
Scope itis seen that the cells are more 
densely filled with reserve materials. 
The leaf-gemme have a very narrow 
base, and, when mature, the cells at the 
point of attachment are found to be 
rounded off, as shown in figs. 3 and 4. 
They are thus well adapted for being 
thrown off; and they may be completely 
removed from the parent plant by a very 
slight mechanical disturbance. 
After such removal, the gemm: were 
found to be capable of immediate germi- 
nation when laid on damp soilor floating 
Pseudopodium, showing transition from 
the normal leaf to the leaf-gemma, 
LINN. JOURN.—BOTANY, VOL. XX. 
2P 
