Morphologie. 7 



The prothallus of Helminthostachys is a subterranean 

 saprophyte devoid of Chlorophyll. A basal vegetative part 

 containing the mycorhizal fungus can be distinguished from a 

 sexual region. The fungus dies at the commencement of growth 

 of the sexual region, which procede at the expense of the 

 accumulated reserve material. There is an imperfect sexual 

 diiferentiation, the female prothalle being more bulky and their 

 vegetative region more strongly lobed. The antheridia are 

 sunken; their outer wall contains several large cells one of 

 which breaks down on dehescence; at other places the outer 

 wall is two-layered. The spermatozoids were not seen. The 

 archegonia appear to resemble those of Botrychium. The 

 embryogeny was not followed through. The first leaf of the 

 young plant reaches the light. The first root is triarch and 

 contains an endophytic fungus. The stele of the stem is at 

 first solid and endarch; sooner or later it obtains a pith. The 

 first leaf-trace is endarch or mesarch. The bearing of these facts 

 on the affinities of the Ophiofflossaceae is briefly discussed. 



W. H. Lang. 



Thistleton-Dyer, Sir W. J., Morphological Notes. (Annais 

 of Botany. Vol. XVI. 1902. p. 149. PI. VIII, IX.) 



V. Abnormal Fruits Precocious germin ation 

 in a Mel on. 



In these melons of which several specimens were examined, 

 most of the seeds had germinated. The feible light penetrating 

 the walls of the pericarp, while sufficing for the development of 

 a slight amount of Chlorophyll, would not be of sufficient inten- 

 sity to permit of assimilation. The seedlings had therefore pro- 

 bably derived their food-supply from the organic substances of 

 the pericarp. Other recorded cases of precocious germination 

 are discussed. 



VI. Abnormal Fruits — Pleiotaxy of gynaceum 

 in an Orange. 



An orange with an additional series of carpels is described 

 and figured. The author concludes that fruits with one series 

 of carpels may be regarded as reduced from a more generalized 

 multiseriate type. The case described may be regarded as a 

 reversion to this type. W. H. Lang. 



Thomas, A. P. W., An Alga-like Fer n-p rot hall iu m. 

 (Annais of Botany. Vol. XVI. 1902. p. 165.) 



This is a preliminary account of the prothallus of Schizaea 

 bifida. It is a branched, filamentous structure, the filaments 

 showing apical growth. Branching takes place from the upper 

 ends of the cells composing the filaments. The sexual organs 

 are borne directly on the filaments. The archegonia occupy 

 the same position as the lateral branches, the antheridia may 

 be terminal or lateral. The rather wide venter of the arche- 



