43 
Mr. Druery's discovery is the direct converse of the apogamy in 
fernSj discovered by Farlow. In this the sporophore is a vegetative 
outgrowth from the oophore. The parallel phenomena in the life- 
history of the moss have been known for some time. The obvious 
possibilities of discovery with regard to the reproduction of ferns may 
now be regarded as exhausted. It may be interesting to give the 
dates of the different steps: 
1597 Herard Observed seedling plants near parents. 
1648 Csesius Sporangia. 
1669 Cole..... Spores. 
1686 Ray Hygroscopic movements of sporangia, 
1715 Morison Raised seedlings from spores. 
1783 Ehrhart , Prothallium. 
1789 Lindsay Germination of spores. 
1827 Kuulfuss Development of proihallium, 
1844 ISiageli Antheridia. 
1846 Suminski Archegonia. 
1874 Farlovv Apogamy. 
1884 Druery Apospory, 
J our ft. Royal Micros, Society, 
The Life History of the Lycopodiacem^ at least so far as regards the 
development of the prothallium from the spores, has until quite 
recently been almost unknown. Dr. Treub, however, has recently 
published in the Annals of the Botanic Garden of Buitenzorg, Java 
(Vol. iv., pp. 107, 138), a description of the prothallium of Z)w/<7^/V//// 
cernuum. This, according to an extract from the above paper 
published in Nature by Mr. W. T. T. Dyer, consists of a sort of short 
cylindrical axis, half immersed in the soil at one end, where it is furn- 
ished with root-hairs^ The upper extremity bears a tuft of small 
leaf-like lobes. The archegonia and antheridia are found on the 
i^pper part of the cylindrical axis, forming a kind of ring or crown 
near the tuft of lobes. 
Botanical Literature. 
American Medicinal Plants. An illustrated and descriptive Guide to 
the American Plants used as Homoeopathic Remedies ; their 
History, Preparation, Chemistry and Physiological Effects. By 
Chas. R Millspaugh, M.D. New York and Philadelphia : 
Bcericke & Tafel. Nos. i to 5. 
This is the first installment of a work which is to contain one 
hundred and eighty illustrations and descriptions of such native and 
^naturalized plants as are used in homoeopathic practice. Dr. Mills- 
paugh has the advantage of being a skilful artist as well as a physi- 
cian, and has thus been enabled to illustrate his work with figures 
drawn in situ by his own hand. The plates are reproduced in colors 
from the author's drawings, and the plants represented are in all 
cases quite true to nature. 
The text accompanying each plate gives the systematic name, 
synonyms, popular name or names and minute description of the 
plant represented, the part used in homoeopathic practice, and mode 
<^f preparation, chemical constitueuts and physiological action. 
With the concluding part will be given a glossary of botanical 
