M. Miiller on the Developmerd of the Lycopodiacese. 241 



To trace its origin, we must, as in every case, turn to the ter- 

 minal bud. It is a cone more attenuated above than below, ori- 

 ginally almost transparent, but subsequently becoming opake 

 through the penetration of water into its internal cavities and 

 substance. This of course occurs through the water applied in 

 the microscopic examination. On this terminal bud, above the 

 youngest leaf and antheridium, at four alternating points around 

 the axis of the branch, two little conical processes are always visi- 

 ble, lying in one plane, i. e. one above the other (PI. V. figs. 2 — 6, 

 a b) : they are the youngest parts of the spike, in their earliest 

 condition. The upper process is destined to become a leaf, the 

 lower an antheridium, and both of them are mere processes bud- 

 ding from the axis of the branch. It soon becomes evident that 

 the leaf is increasing in size and exceeding the antheridium in 

 regard to extent of surface, becoming wider at the base and elon- 

 gated at the apex (figs. 2 — 6 b). This is very natural, since 

 the growth of the antheridium is centralized in its interior, while 

 that of the leaf is more especially directed toward the periphery. 

 The conical process from which the antheridium is to be deve- 

 loped therefore becomes gradually more rounded in its form, 

 and soon appears as a perfect sphere, seated in the axil of the 

 leaf. In this condition both leaflet and antheridium are almost 

 perfectly transparent, like what has been already said of the ter- 

 minal bud. At a later period however a granular matter makes 

 its appearance, which is seen through the outer and as yet tole- 

 rably hyaline membrane of the antheridium, which evidently con- 

 sists of a layer of denser cells, the granular mass of the anthe- 

 ridium not extending to its external surface (fig. 7). The base 

 of the spherical antheridium is even now tolerably thick, and as 

 it elongates it becomes still more independent (fig. 8). The 

 growth of the antheridium is now particularly directed from the 

 base toward the two sides (fig. 10 c). Thus the upper part be- 

 comes the more slender, the lower broader, and the form of the 

 antheridium is perfected. It is ovato-reniform, and the peduncle 

 at this time is very slender : this latter often attains a consider- 

 able length. 



We are now met by the question : What is the import of the 

 antheridium ? The reply to this question is somewhat more dif- 

 ficult than to that respecting the oophoridium ; yet this much 

 is certain, that the antheridium can be no product from a 

 leaf, since it is formed from the axis contemporaneously with the 

 leaf. As little can we regard it, with BischofF, as formed by the 

 growing together of leaves. Besides, H. von IMohl has already 

 triumphantly refuted this view. But that we have to do with a 

 metamorphosed bud, on the contrary, cannot be disputed ; since 

 the first, rounded antheridium-sphcrulc possesses all the pecu- 



