206 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Bryophyta. 



(By A. Gepp.) 



Androgynous Inflorescences in Dumortiera.* — A. Ernst publishes 

 bis researches into the development, structure and distribution of the 

 inflorescences of Dumortiera, the material studied having been Javau 

 specimens of the monoecious D. trichocephala and the dioecious D. 

 velutina. D. trichocephala has androgynous as well as purely male and 

 purely female inflorescences. Ernst describes the two species syste- 

 matically and gives their distribution in Java. He then devotes a 

 chapter to each of the following subjects : — The structure of the thallus 

 of the two species ; the structure and development of the male and 

 female inflorescences ; the audrogynous inflorescences ; observations on 

 the distribution of male and female receptacles and the occurrence of 

 androgynous inflorescences in D. velutina and D. trichocephala respect- 

 ively, gathered in various localities, showing by statistics the rarity of 

 androgyny in D. velutina ; the phylogeny of Dumortiera. 



Origin of Cupule of Marchantia.f — C. R. Barnes and W. J. 6. 

 Land describe and figure the development of the cupule of Marchantia 

 from its earliest stage, their purpose being to discover whether the 

 cupule could possibly be homologous with the air chamber. They 

 show that the first hint of the site of the gemmiparous area may be 

 found so near to the apical cell as in the third segment. The rudi- 

 mentary gemmiparous cell remains simple and undergoes no periclinal 

 divisions such as are evident in the other superficial cells around it, 

 which by subsequent divisions produce the air-chamber tissue. The 

 development of the rim of the cupule, the increase of the gemmiparous 

 cells by anticlinal divisions, the formation of the genmrse, are severally 

 described ; and it is made quite clear that the gemmae are in nowise 

 homologous with the chlorophyllose filaments of an air chamber, nor 

 has the cupule any relation to the epidermal roof of an air chamber. 

 In fact air chambers are found in the thicker part of the wall of the 

 cupule. The rudiment of a cupule is clearly shown in the figures to be 

 equivalent to the cells which might produce roof, filaments and floor of 

 an air chamber together with some of the thallus beneath it. The 

 authors reject Goebel's conception that in Marchantia the gemmae are 

 homologous with slime papillae. 



Farrants' Medium for Mosses. J — W. B. Davis strongly recommends 

 the employment of Farrants' medium of mounting mosses, because of 

 its easy application and satisfactory endurance. He gives some hints 

 for its use, and cites a recipe of the following composition : — equal 

 parts of gum arabic, glycerin and water with a trace of arsenious oxide 

 as preservative. 



Importance of Pedicel in Classification of Hepatics.§ — C. Douin 

 has investigated the structure of the pedicel of the sporogonium of 



* Ami. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, xxii. (1908) pp. 153-223 (7 pis.), 

 t Bot. Gaz., xlvi. (1908) pp. 401-9 (14 figs.). 

 % Bryologist, xii. (1908) p. 8. 



§ Bull. Soc. Bot. Prance, 1908, pp. 194-202, 270-6, 360-6, 368-76 (4 pis). See 

 also Rev. Bryolog., xxxv. (1908) pp. 142-3. 



