ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 57' 



mously, the embryos resembling in development those of P. atropur- 

 purea. In Lastrea chrysoloha the apogamous embryo is developed in a 

 small light region that appears between the apical notch and the cushion 

 of the prothallium. A. G. 



Botanical Observations on various Plants. — G. Capelle {Allgem. 

 Bot. Zeiischr., 1915, 21, 68-74, 121-25 ; see also Bot. CentralbL, 1917, 

 135, 307). An account of some observations on various ferns and 

 vascular cryptogams. Botri/chium ternatum, and new forms of it, 

 produce in August or September a vegetative leaf after the decay of the 

 inflorescence. Only then do the fronds of the previous year begin to 

 die off. If the winter foliage is injured, the root-stock puts out only 

 weak fronds in the coming year. As2~)Unium Ruta-muraria develops in 

 the shade frond-stalks up to 10 cm. long ; the same plant in the sun 

 produces stalks 1-2 cm. long. The effect of cultivation on various 

 species is described ; also the appearance of adventitious buds on 

 Aspidium Filix mas, when less than twelve months old. Folystachium- 

 forms were produced in Equisetum paliisfre smd E.silvatimm, when most 

 of the shoots were cut off ; in E. limosum this form is often found because 

 the fruiting shoots are upset by the borings of water-beasts laying their 

 eggs. E. S. G. 



Bryophyta. 



Organography of Plants. — K. Goebel (New edition, Jena, Fischer, 

 1915, Heft I., 387 pp., figs. ; see also Bot. Centralhl, 1917, 135, 309, 

 310). An account of the special organography of the Bryophytes. 

 Taking into consideration their diploid generation, one has to do with 

 descending series. Anthocerotacese, Andreajacete and Sphagnaceae are 

 not separated off. The Anthocerotales and Marchantiales have a more 

 primitive structure of the antheridia than the Jungermanniacese. The 

 cells of the moss-embryo are diploid ; the cells of the Coleochsete fruit 

 are haploid. Between the sporophyte of the earliest group of liverworts 

 and that of the mosses there exist similarities in the assimilative tissue, 

 columella and stomata. Between the gametophyte and sporophyte in 

 mosses there exist also similarities. Rhizoids are produced in the most 

 dissimilar groups. The scales of the Marchantiales are homologous with 

 the slime-papillae of the Jungermanniaceaj. There are transitions 

 between thallose and foliose forms in all these groups of liverworts. It 

 is necessary to guard against the idea of a general derivation of thallose 

 from foliose forms. The adaptation of the vegetative organs for the 

 provision of water in Anthocerot^e and Jungermanniacese is manifold. 

 The formation of gemmse is fully discussed. As regards sporogonia 

 there is a series descending from Anthoceros which shows only reduc- 

 tion ; the capsule is shortened in favour of the stem, then the assimila- 

 tive apparatus of the capsule disappears, finally the stem and the elaters. 

 In the portion of the text devoted to mosses new facts are described, 

 notably concerning the prevention of desiccation. The few " water- 

 mosses " have immigrated into the water. The protection of the young 

 sporophyte is much less marked in the mosses than in the liverworts. 

 The swollen portion of the archegonium does not take a large part in 



