268 MESSRS. I. H. BURKILL AND C. H. WRIGHT ON 
Norr.—On December 18, 1898, I took up one of the original 
prothalli which had not yet produced either frond or bud, shaved 
off the root-hairs, and examined it with the microscope for arche- 
gonia and antheridia. I found the “cushion” crowded with 
archegonia, in some of which the egg-cell could be distinctly 
seen. A few antheridia were found in the usual situation, 
but they were apparent!y not yet mature. 
On December 29, 1898, I went round my garden and snipped 
off portions of fronds from some eight different ferns, the only 
principle of selection being to take fronds which were devoid of 
any trace of sori, and were not too mature to allow any hope 
of further growth. They were well washed by a stream of 
water to remove any adherent spores of other ferns, and were 
then pinned down in a pot and covered with a bell-glass. 
Examining these on January 12, 1899, I found that in the 
case of one fern, Polypodium vulgare var. grandiceps, Parker, 
two translucent (presumably prothallic) growths were already 
proceeding from the termination of a veinlet near the edge on 
the upper surface of the frond. These growths, as well as the 
piece of frond from which they grew, I regret to say have been 
since destroyed by fungoid growth. I hope, however, to repeat 
the experiment. 
On some Afriean Labiate with Alternate Leaves. 
By I. H. Bunkıkr, F.L.S., and C. H. Wyrenr, ALS. 
[Read 16th February, 1899.] 
(Prate 6.) 
A suort while ago M. Hua described as the type of a new genus 
a Labiate from West Tropical Africa, and named it 7comum 
paradoxum. The character upon which he laid most stress is the 
alternation of the leaves; and on aecount of this deviation from 
what is almost universal in the order, he chose the specific name. 
At the time when his paper * was published we were aware of 
iwo Labiates from Africa possessing the same peculiarity ; and 
further seareh in the herbarium of the Royal Gardens, Kew, 
* * Nouveaux matériaux pour la Flore de l'Afrique Française,” Bulletin du 
Muséum d'histoire naturelle, Paris, 1897, p. 329. 
