lit) THE JOURNAL OF J30TAM' 



the Uicotyledons with two. There are many other points of dif- 

 ference, especially in the mode of growth of stem and root. The 

 older botanists had generally held that the Monocotyledons were tho 

 more primitive group of the two, but Miss Sargant was led to the 

 opposite conclusion, agreeing in this respect with Professor G. Hens- 

 low. But while that author had derived the Monocotyledons from 

 aquatic ancestors. Miss Sargant attributed their peculiar characters 

 to their being essentially and in origin geophilous — i. e., plants with 

 underground stems, such as bulbs or root-stocks. The single coty- 

 ledon was interpreted by her as a fusion of the two seed-leaves of the 

 other type, a view which she supported by the analogy of certain 

 Dicotyledons of similar habit, such as the Winter Aconite and the 

 Lesser Celandine, in which there is clear evidence of fusion. The 

 Monocotyledons were regarded as an early offshoot from an ancient 

 and simple Dicotyledonous stock. Among Miss Sargant's various 

 memoirs bearing on this subject may be mentioned her interesting 

 hypothetical " Keconstruction of a Race of Primitive Angiosperms " 

 (1908). Whether the details of the theoi-y are ultimately accepted 

 or not, there can be no doubt that the present views of botanists as to 

 the relative antiquity of the two classes have been lai-gely determined 

 by her observations and reasoning. 



In connexion with this work, Miss Sargant, in her later years, 

 paid special attention to the embryology of the grasses, a subject 

 on which she published two papers in collaboration with Mrs. Arber, 

 the latter of which was the last to appear during her lifetime. 



Miss Sargant was the first woman to preside over a section of 

 the British Association. Her able address to the botanical section in 

 1913 is a valuable critical essay on plant-embryology. She wrote 

 vigorously and logically ; in style, as well as in argument and accurate 

 observation, she stood very high among contemporary botanists. 

 Two powerful essays of hers on non-technical subjects may be men- 

 tioned — one on " Women and Original llesearch " (1900), and the 

 other on "The Iidieritance of a University" (1901). 



Personally Miss Sargant was warmly appreciaterl and will be 

 sadly missed by her many friends, both scientific and private. She 

 was a woman of a generous character and will long be remembered 

 for her many kindly actions. She was particularly loved by children, 

 whom she thoroughly understood. 



D. H. Scott. 



[Mr. C. E. Salmon writes: "During her residence in Reigate, 

 Miss Sargant was an active member of the Holmesdale Natural 

 History Club. In 1897 she lectured at the Club on " The Cell of the 

 Nucleus " ; in 1898 on " Photomicrography as an Aid to Research " ; 

 in 1903 on " The Family Tree of Flowering Plants " and on " The 

 Effect of the Seasons on Plant Life " ; in 1909 on " A Modern 

 Development of Field Botany " ; in 1913 on " The Native Countries 

 of our Spring Bulbs." When Miss Sargant left Reigate, she was 

 elected an honorary member of the Club in recognition of her valuable 

 services." — Ed. Joubx. Bot.] 



