we 
MR. E. J. LOWE ON SCOLOPENDRIUM VULGARE. 533 
beyond that of being crisped, and the variety crispum-cowburni 
was one of the parents; not only does this apply to all these 
marginal plants, but also to two of the central ones; two other 
central plants have no crisp character. The diminutive fronds 
of the central plants have been so peculiar and so Liverwort- 
like in character as to suggest the name of Marchantia-form 
fronds. Their margins are flattened out, and are very thin 
and semi-transparent, having a growth of prothalli along 
the edge; Professor Farmer considers it a case of premature 
apospory. The last prothallus has not yet formed any fronds, 
but has shown from a_ partial microscopic examination 
archegonria on the under surface. 
My thanks are due to Professor Bower, Mr. C. Druery, 
Professor Farmer, and Mr. Lang for their reports on micro- 
scopical examination, an examination that has shown such 
interesting facts. 
Independently of apospory and the formation of male and 
female organs on entirely new growth of repeatedly divided 
prothallia, there is something very remarkable as regards the 
frond-life. The central plants are unlike the marginal ones. 
they differ in form and botanically; on the contrary, the 
marginal plants are all more or less alike, as might be expected 
when growing on the same prothallus from what may be 
termed assimilation, but in the central plants something 
requires elucidation as no two are alike, and all differ from 
the marginal ones (they apparently grow on the upper surface). 
The first plants were very curious, but owing to a serious 
illness I could not give proper attention to their young growth, 
yet all showed the thinning off and semi-transparency ; their 
after growth shows in the first a congested mass of fronds, 
diminutive and ball-like; the fronds are less than 1? inches, of 
which an inch is the stipes, the width is half an inch; it isa 
mass of murications curling back on the underside, very hard 
and unbending, and the colour a deep green, this plant is at 
Kew; a second developed stipes with cornute apices, but no 
leafy part; a third is muricate with a bead-like fimbriated 
margin; a fourth has a bud-growth on the fronds, and a 
branching stag’s-horn-like mass at the base; it is muricate, has 
projections, and is leathery in texture, this is also at Kew ; 
in a fifth the fronds are crisp and wavy, has the ordinary 
consistency of a crispuD, and apparently will not be congested ; 
