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Notes on the Embryology of Achimenes picta. 

 By T. Spexcer Cobbold, M.D., F.R.S. 



(Read Nov. 28, 1879.; 



fiome thirty years ago I commenced a series of observations on 

 the embryogenetic process, as it occurs in certain Monocotyledons 

 and Dicotyledons ; and I communicated the results to the Physiolo- 

 gical Society of Edinburgh. Afterwards an abstract of the paper 

 appeared in the Edinburgh Monthly Medical Journal, but in such a 

 fragmentary form that the late Professor Hughes Bennett urged me 

 to publish fuller details. I had, indeed, already written a short com- 

 munication on the Embryogeny of Orchis mascula in the Quarterly 

 Journcd of Microscopical Science, purposely withholding other 

 details, in the hope of returning to the inyestigation at a future 

 time. 



After the lapse of so long an interval I will only further say that 

 what was observed by Dr. Burdon- Sanders on and by myself in 

 this country, was chiefly confirmatory of facts and views recorded by 

 Amici. The observations of the Italian botanist had especial 

 relation to the cjuestion of the union of the pollen tube with the 

 embryo-sac ; consequently, when Sanderson, and likewise myself, 

 succeeded in demonstrating this connection in Orchids, our pub- 

 lished statements, in association with the well known discoveries of 

 Hofmeister, Tulasne and others, did but help to set at rest one of 

 the questions which had long been the subject of controversy. It 

 was not until many years afterwards that Schleiden finally aban- 

 doned those peculiar views with which his name will ever remain 

 associated. 



At the time of which I speak, our distinguished countryman, 

 Professor Henfrey, also occupied himself with this question, but I 

 am not quite sure that he actually, at that time, witnessed the 

 essential act of fertilisation eitlier in the angiospermous phanero- 

 gamia or in monocotyledons. I draw this conclusion not only from 

 the circumstance that 1 Avrote to him unavailingly on the subject, 

 but also because the notion of the entrance of the pollen tube into 



