8 
Recently received from Mr. C. G. Pringle; collected in August, 
1884, in Southern Arizona. 
The plant somewhat resembles C. Californiais, Watson, but 
differs in its narrow leaves, shorter involucre, shorter and non-flex- 
uose, fewer-flowered spikelets. 
A Third Coat in the Spores of the Genus Onoclea - The presence 
of three coats in the spores of Equisetum has long been known to 
botanists, but, as far as I am aware, it is generally supposed that no 
ferns have more than two. 
Having had occasion to repeatedly study the germination of the 
spores of Onoclea Siriiihiopteris, I was for a long time perplexed by 
fl t- 
the appearance of certain lines on the surface of the spore which I 
could not explain. 
For some time these were not noticed in the spore at the com- 
mencement of germination, owing to the opaque nature of the con- 
tents ; but, as the cells became larger and the contents clearer, these 
lines became very conspicuous. ^ 
After repeated sowings of spores, and careful study of the nrs 
stages of germination, specimens in the condition of Fig. 3 ^^'^ 
found in which the root-hair was apparently developed from t^^ 
.interior of the spore and protruded through the wall. ^^^^ ^^^j.^ 
vestigation showed beyond any doubt that the supposed endosp^ 
*Bot. Cal., ii., 216 [C. speciosus, Torn, Mex. Bound. Surv.. 226.) 
