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search failed to show any prothallia nor could the spores be 

 made to germinate. penduhim, which seems to be rare near 

 Buitenzorg, was fairly common in the forest at Tjibodas, and 

 of this species the writer secured a large number of prothallia 

 in nearly all stages of development. A number of these were 

 kept alive in closely stoppered bottles partly filled with the 

 humus in which they were found, and at the present writing, — 

 December, 1906, — are still in good condition. A very fine 

 lot of this species was seen in the botanical garden at Singa- 

 pore, but there was not time to make a search for the pro- 

 thallia which probably would have been found, as the conditions 

 seemed very favorable. A species resembling 0. moluccanum 

 was also seen growing in the garden a,t Singapore. 



GERMINATION IN 0. MOLUCCANUM. 



The extremely favorable conditions for plant growth at Bui- 

 tenzorg indicated that here, if anywhere, germination experi- 

 ments should succeed, and very soon after the writer's arrival 

 a quantity of plants of 0. moluccanum were secured and the 

 spores were sown. As in all previous experiments with the 

 Ophioglossaceae germination had been very slow, it was with 

 much surprise that the first lot of spores sowd, when examined 

 a week later, were found to be germinating very freelv and 

 had evidently been growing for some days. New sowings were 

 made, and in some cases the first germination stages were 

 found within three days from the time the spores were sown. 

 Inasmuch as the spores contained no chlorophyll, this rapid 

 germination was quite unexi)ected. In the most favorable in- 

 stances the greater part of the spores germinated, and many 

 thousand germinating spores were seen, so that a very com- 

 plete study conld be made of the early phases of growth. The 

 first sowings were made upon earth taken from where the 

 plants were collected; the earth was placed in small glass 

 dishes, and flooded with water. The spores were then scattered 

 over the surface of the water, some sinking, Init the greater 



