122 ROBERT BROWN 



from Port Jackson, and the plant was illustrated by the excellent 

 drawings of Bauer. But here, too, the time was not yet ripe 

 for a morphological understanding of the structure. The 

 megasporangium was thought to be the male flower, the 

 microsporangia being interpreted as capsules containing several 

 seeds (the glochidia). The explanation of the supposed male 

 flower presented difficulties, but he states that the lower cell 

 (i.e. the megaspore) was once found filled with a powder 

 replacing the turbid fluid ordinarily occurring there, and the 

 powder was supposed in some way to be ejected and thence 

 to be conveyed to the female organ. 



Ferns also claimed his attention, and among his other 

 contributions he founded the genus Woodsia, calling attention 

 to the character of the involucrum (indusium), which separated 

 it from the other polypodia with which the species had previously 

 been associated. 



Brown had always taken a keen interest in fossil plants, 

 although, so far as I am aware, he only wrote one paper on the 

 subject. This one, however, was of considerable importance, for 

 its subject was the Brownian cone of Lepidodendron, called 

 by him Triplosporite, though its true affinities were correctly 

 gauged. 



Although, as I have said, Brown was less successful when 

 grappling with cryptogams, he is always worth reading on any 

 subject, and in his own special province, that of the flowering 

 plants, I know of no one amongst the older writers from whom 

 one may learn so much. This is due not only to the genius and 

 erudition which he brought to bear on every problem he attacked, 

 but also to the example he affords of scientific method in handling 

 his subject. In his respect for accuracy, in his cautious attitude, 

 as well as in the single-minded honesty of purpose he everywhere 

 exhibits, he has set an example not only for his own but for all 

 future time. 



His personal character made a deep impression on his con- 

 temporaries. To his friends he was very faithful, and the 

 unanimous tribute of affectionate (though respectful) admiration 

 affords full proof of this. Like many other strong characters, 

 however, he seems also to have been able at times to shew a 



