560 THK GAMETOPHYTE OF PSILOTUM, 



spores miglit be found in old synangia. The surmise proved to 

 be correct. When old s\'nangia liad been carefully soaked in 

 water, and dissected by means of a brush and needle, spores were 

 found, as I had expected, and some of them had germinated 

 within the synangium, a fact that may be regarded as an im- 

 portant .discovery, inasmuch as it offers a possible field in which 

 the whole life-histoiy of the sexual generation may be obtained 

 fi'om the study of spores germinated in Nature's own woi'ksliop, 

 and, therefore, almost entirely free from sucli complications as 

 affect the work of the culturist. 



A careful examination of old fruits may be expected to 

 furnish e\idence of the sexual developmeiit, and even provide 

 some embryos. Possibly this is one of the means bv which tlie 

 [)lant is propagated. The examinati(m of a large number of 

 synangia will be necessary to success. Weather-conditions, at 

 fruiting time, have an important bearing on the question, and 

 the dryness, or otherwise, of the locality inhabited by tlie plant. 



After my examination of the synangia of Tmesij^tpvi^, I came 

 to the conclusion that the sexual reproduction, when known, 

 will not differ materi.ilh' fi-om that of Fsi/ofuDr, and I express 

 this opinion after having seen both the male and the female 

 gametophytes. Old synangia of Psilofum, accidentally found in 

 the rhizome-culture, furnished better results than those obtained 

 by cultivation. One example, having been dissected and mounted, 

 provided ample material for study, both the male and the female 

 gametophytes being present in considerable numbers, and in all 

 stages of development, the males predominating and being too 

 numei'ous to count without special appliances. 



In conclusion, believing th.at I have been able to point the 

 way to the solution of the mysteiy of the sexual reprf)duction of 

 Psi/otuni, I am desirous of placing the results of my observations 

 on I'ecord, so that others, in command of better appliances and 

 opportunities, may be able to carry the investigation to its final 

 and successful issue. 



My thanks are flue to Mr. W. Graham, of the University, 

 Sydney, for excellent microphotographs of the male gametophyte, 



